A message from the last winners | Love Your High Street Awards

Established in 1981, our small family-run barbers in Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland is certainly not your typical barbershop.

Located in the most westerly part of the UK, we combine a traditional working barber shop with a unique railway museum, creating an experience that engages customers while they wait and brings local heritage right onto the high street.

Being nominated for the Love Your High Street Award was an unexpected and incredibly welcome surprise. What touched us most was seeing our community come together to share just how much our business is loved and valued. We received messages of support from people far and wide, including many who had never even visited us but had still taken the time to vote and wish us every success.

The presentation of the award was a truly heartfelt moment. With representatives from the local Council, High Sheriff, Lieutenancy, high street businesses and, most importantly, our valued customers, the whole town celebrated with us.

It was absolutely fabulous and a moment we will never forget.

We were also honoured to welcome Andrew Goodacre, Chief Executive Officer of Bira, who met with shop owners across our high street. Andrew highlighted that the award was not only recognition for our business, but also for Enniskillen itself - an island town offering a warm welcome and a shopping experience that makes people want to return again and again.

Since receiving the award, we have continued to welcome customers from throughout the World who tell us they have discovered us through our national profile with the Love Your High Street Awards. The recognition has brought new visitors to our door and shone an even brighter spotlight on our unique business and our wonderful town.
It was truly a momentous occasion for us, and the team from Bira were absolutely fabulous in supporting us with photography, press coverage and promotion throughout the award ceremony.

And our advice to other local businesses?

What advice would we give to anyone thinking about nominating their local high street business?

Take a moment to nominate them.

Recognise the passion, dedication and love that local businesses bring to their work and to the communities they serve. It isn't the size of the business, its turnover or the number of employees that matters most. What matters is the personal, heartfelt experience a business creates on the High Street - the little things that exceed expectations and make a business genuinely loved by its community.

To know that your customers value what you do is an immense encouragement. That recognition and opportunity to celebrate, can give a small independent business the confidence, motivation and support it needs to continue serving its community and securing its future.