INDEPENDENT RETAILER NOMINATED SECOND YEAR RUNNING FOR PRESTIGIOUS AWARD

MAYBUGS, the independent gift retailer based in Bexhill, Eastbourne and Hailsham has been nominated twice for the prestigious gift retailer awards, The Greats.

The retailer has been nominated for Independent Gift Shop of the Year and Best Retail Initiative at the giftware industry Oscars.

On hearing the news, co-owner Greg Rose said, “Wow! We just can’t believe we have been nominated twice! We were stunned to win the Independent Gift Retailer of the Year award last year and didn’t think for a second that we would be nominated for a second year running. This coupled with an amazing second nomination, for Best Retail Initiative really is the cherry on the cake!” this publication has been recognised in the national newspaper awards.

In the Independent Gift Retailer of The Year — London, South, South-East & East Anglia award they face stiff competition from shops in Colchester, Kensington, Rayleigh, Woodbridge and Woking.

Greg continued to say: “The Best Retailer Initiative Award nomination is a very special one for us. We worked so hard on our ‘Supporting Independents This Christmas’ initiative. It meant a lot to us to be able to use our large social media presence to highlight many of the other fabulous local independent businesses in all three of our towns. We then coupled this with offering Free-Parking in Eastbourne and Bexhill, which was taken up by hundreds of residents, and we hope it had a positive effect on trade for everyone. To be recognised for this by our industry at a national level means so much to us.”

In the Best Retailer Initiative, Maybugs is up against stores in Highworth, Kirkham, Rayleigh, Tiptree and Troon.

The new Maybugs store in Hailsham is due to open its doors on April 11, located next door to the current store.