Nominations for high street shop of the year award surge to record levels

Nominations for an award set to crown the nation's high street shop of the year have hit record levels, with just a week left before entries close.

Bira's Love Your High Street Awards have seen nominations rise by 20% compared to the same point last year, putting 2026 on track to beat last year's total despite a nomination window three weeks shorter than before.

Nominations close on 30th August, after which a judging panel will select a shortlist on 7th September. The public vote opens on 14th September and runs until Sunday 11th October, with the winner announced on 26th October.

Last year's inaugural winner, Headhunters Barber Shop & Railway Museum in Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, has said the award gave their business a huge boost. Gordon and Nigel Johnston, who run the family business established in 1981, said the recognition brought messages of support from across their community and beyond, and that they have since welcomed customers from around the world who discovered the shop through its national profile with the awards.

The brothers said their advice to other businesses considering a nomination is simple: take a moment to nominate them, because what matters most isn't a business's size or turnover, but the personal, heartfelt experience it creates on the high street.

Mr Goodacre added: "There's still just a week left to nominate a local business that deserves recognition."

The awards culminate in Love Your High Street Week, taking place from 9th to 15th November, when the winner will be celebrated as part of a wider campaign encouraging shoppers to support their local high streets.