A STALYBRIDGE business is celebrating once again after winning another national award.
Now Florence and Amelia’s hopes to be toasting more success soon, in getting the go ahead for a ‘pavement cafe’.
It is often said in sport that good teams win things, great teams win things repeatedly.
Now after scooping the Sole to Sole Award for being best sole trader or small business in the UK at The Small Awards last year, they have followed it up by being named the awards’ High Street Hero for being the top high street business.
The gift and homeware shop on Corporation Street has expanded to take in a coffee shop and wine bar on neighbouring Armentieres Square.
An application has been made to Tameside Council for them to have tables and chairs on the pavement there.
And owner Nicola Buckley hopes it can take her business to another level as well as inject a new aspect to the town’s life – once she has stopped smiling at her success.
She said: “We’re super chuffed to win the award.
“Winning the High Street Hero Award is great for helping raise the profile of the business and a benchmark for us to continue to strive for excellence in everything we do.
“I think it’s great for Stalybridge to have a business that has received national recognition.
“It’s a different title. This year we won the High Street Hero Award – Best High Street Business.
“Over the last 12 months we’ve seen the completion of the physical expansion of our store to incorporate the coffee and wine bar which has been a huge success, customer feedback suggesting it’s exactly what the town needed!
“We’ve hosted workshops for the community including upcycling and hand painting furniture workshop, mindfulness and meditation and wreath making at Christmas.
“We fundraised for Sandwich Angels, arranged for Father Christmas to join us in store and we donate surplus produce to our local food banks. I volunteer on the Town Team and am always eager to help our community.
“From a personal point of view to win a national award was amazing and a huge pat on the back for our fantastic and hard-working team at Florence and Amelia’s.
“As with any business, the decision to invest further in Florence and Amelia’s and Stalybridge has an element of risk, in particular when it’s a completely different venture.
“But since opening the coffee and wine bar back in October we have been run off our feet!
“Now our applications are in for the pavement café license and we would love to create a café culture for Stalybridge.”