Castle Quay has celebrated a group of independent and national brands at its recent awards.

The shopping centre's third annual Brand Partner Awards were held at Lock29 on Thursday (April 18).

Winners in a range of categories were chosen by its visitors and customers online.

 

 

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The categories ranged from Best Customer Service Team Member, Best Customer Experience, Best Social Media Presence and Best Window Display, to Best Food and Beverage, Best Community Initiative, Best Independent Business, Best Coffee, Best Presented Business and Best National Business.

In the Best Customer Service Team Member category, Dan Ludlow, owner of Nothing But Footprints, came out on top, gaining nearly 19 per cent of all votes.

For the Best Customer Experience, voters chose Boba Bros, a well-known brand among bubble tea enthusiasts.

A newly added category this year, Best Social Media Presence, saw The Light outshine its competitors.

Waterstones and Nothing But Footprints had a close fight in the Best Window Display category, with the latter claiming the victory.

For Best Food and Beverage, voters picked Boba Bros.

One voter praised the brand for standing out compared to other boba tea shops while another said it sold "the absolute best bubble tea ever".

In this category, Mr Souvlaki was a close second, praised for providing "great value and great service".

The Standout winner in the Best Community initiative category was Jammin Pizza for providing meals for the homeless.

The award for the Best Independent Business at Castle Quay went to Nothing But Footprints, with close competitors Smart Ideas and World of Fudge & Sweets also being recognised.

The Best Coffee category saw some heavy competition with several brands including Costa, Vintage Teas, Muffin Break, Greggs and Baker & Baristas being recognised, but the winning title went to Coffee#1.

Banbury Museum and Gallery Shop took home the award for the Best Presented Business.

Waterstones, a well-loved national chain of bookshops, claimed the accolade for Best National Business.

The coveted Centre Director Award was awarded to Roses of Bloxham for its brand and shop presentation.

Castle Quay’s centre director, Oliver Wren, said: "The response to our awards has been incredible, with hundreds and hundreds of voters having their say online.

"There’s so much support in our community for retail and leisure destinations to thrive, and a deep appreciation for how these brands go above and beyond every day.

"These awards are a great way to celebrate these hardworking brands and give them the recognition they deserve."