A SHOP renowned for its unique, quirky and colourful window displays is celebrating after scooping a national award - even beating London’s famous Harrods store.
Potters Cookshop, on Main Road in Hockley, claimed the top prize for independent window displays at the “Excellence in Housewares Awards” earlier this month.
The store, which specialises in cookware and kitchenware, works throughout the year to put together its window displays, including special Halloween and Christmas decorations.
Alison Hobbs, 55, from Leigh, is the visual merchandiser at Potters and has worked for the shop for 11 years, collected the honour and was delighted to see her hard work beat out luxury retailer Harrods as well as other strong contenders
She said: “It was brilliant, it was a lovely evening. We were up against lots of stores and up for six awards. We won best in retail display in an independent store, and beat out Harrods.
“To even be considered on the same playing field as Harrods is incredible, but to actually win the award was incredible.
“It was amazing, we don’t do what we to win an award, we love what we do.
“I remember going as a child to see the window displays in London, I wanted to create that type of magic for children in Hockley.
“It’s exciting, I plan to continue what I do every day, I strive to do better every time I do a window.”
Michael Barnes, 35, from Hockley, assistant manager, who has worked at the shop for four years called Alison the driving force behind the team’s work, and was overjoyed with the “exceptional” achievement.
He said: “It very much is a team effort, Alison is very much the driving force behind it al, she is the idea’s lady.
“Beating out Harrods was fantastic, we have won plenty of awards, but to beat them is exceptional
“It’s a great feeling to know that one of the smaller can take on one of the giants and win.
“It validates all the hard work Alison and the team have done, People from Hockley pop in and tell us how good our shopfront looks, to have that officially recognised is wonderful.”
He added Tom Carter, director at the cookshop, who has worked there for more than two decades and accepted the award with Alison, was “chuffed” with the team’s work.
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