PAUL BATTS, OWNER of the Outdoors and Active shop in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, is on a winning streak of competition success having had three accolades in recent months.
In November the business was named one of the 25 finalists in the national Best Small Shops competition organised by Independent Retailers Confederation, which includes Bira in its roster of trade associations.
This was the first time Paul had put the business forward for an award and his was the only outdoors retailer in the final group.
In December, outdoornews.biz, the sector’s trade title, named Outdoors and Active as the Best Independent Retailer in its Excellence Awards 2018.
Soon after this, Paul heard that the shop was shortlisted in the Weston Chamber of Commerce retailing awards. The winners will be announced in February.
Paul set up the shop 12 years ago and runs it with his wife Julie, assisted by Pete Hughes, a regular part-timer who was a customer before joining the team. It is the official Scout shop and Cadet shop in the area.
Paul, who prides himself on his community work, is chairman of Weston Business Improvement District (BID), which covers over 400 businesses in the town centre
Also among the 25 Best Small Shops finalists was Bira member Arragons Cycles of Penrith, run by Sarah and Phil Graham, who were profiled in the March 2018 edition of Bira magazine.
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