THE COMPETITION

STG UK decided to extend its anniversary celebrations to independent retailers with a competition o ering one lucky retailer the chance to win a free two-day city break. Additionally, 10 runners-up won a free outer of the new limited-edition tins.

The competition is a chance for retailers both well versed and unfamiliar with stocking cigars to give their category a boost. “We don’t normally stock cigars,” says runnerup Gillian Adams, of The Wee Shop in Broughshane, Ballymena. “But normally I’m the only shop open on a Sunday or after 9pm, and this is when people come in and ask for them, so the base is there to sell them. Hopefully stocking the limited-edition range will lead to more regular sales.”

Joel Gardiner, another runner-up from Hopeman Stores in Elgin, added: “We sell a lot of cigar brands, including Signature, to a mix of customers. We sell quite a lot of whisky, and a lot of people like to have a dram with a cigar at the weekends.

We haven’t stocked any of the limited-edition packs yet, so it will be good to let the customers know about them and I’ll probably put them on at a promotional price.”