On Thursday 26 June, Eldon Square, Newcastle’s premier shopping and leisure destination, celebrated its vibrant retail community at the hotly anticipated Eldon Square Awards 2025, honouring the exceptional brands and individuals that bring to life the vibrancy and dynamics of the retail destination.

Now in its seventh year, the awards gave the public the chance to vote for their favourite retailers across a variety of categories. In one of the most competitive categories of the night, Bravissimo took home Retailer of the Year, praised for their service and welcoming team. John Lewis & Partners earned the Customer Service Excellence Award, due to its continued commitment to putting customers first.

Sephora went on to win the Health & Beauty Retailer of the Year category which comes after the brand’s incredible launch in 2024 which saw over 500 people queue up overnight. Newcomer of the Year went to Hotel Chocolat, which opened in November 2024 in a lovely 3,238 sqft store. New Look and Next were also both winners on the night, claiming Women’s Retailer of the Year and Men’s Retailer of Year awards respectively.

The night wasn’t just about the brands, but about the people who make those brands shine daily. Jayne Punshon from Next was recognised as Eldon Square’s Manager of the Year, whilst Tanya Mooney from the Sephora store won Superstar of the Year.

Held at the Hilton Newcastle Gateshead, the event was hosted by Newcastle’s very own comedy icon, Miss Rory. The event featured a night of entertainment including saxophone performances by Sax Every Weekend, a 360 degree photo booth, and a performance from students at Newcastle College.

Helen Cowie, Centre Director at Eldon Square said: “The Retailer Awards are a celebration of the brilliant people and teams who make Eldon Square such a special place in the heart of Newcastle. From newcomers like Hotel Chocolat and long-standing favourites like John Lewis & Partners, this year’s winners reflect the passion for offering customers the best possible experience when visiting Eldon Square.”

Pradera Lateral, Savills, BWP and Ryder Architecture were the headline sponsors for the Eldon Square Awards 2025, whilst the entertainment sponsors were Workman and STP Construction and the print partner was NPS Caremore.

Award Winners
Footwear Retailer of the Year – sponsored by Smith Young
Winner: Schuh | Highly Commended: Office
Food on the Go Retailer of the Year– sponsored by Veolia
Winner: Greggs | Highly Commended: Bagel Factory
Health and Beauty Retailer of the Year – sponsored by Pradera Lateral
Winner: Sephora | Highly Commended: Lush
Jewellery and Accessories Retailer of the Year – sponsored by Ryder Architecture
Winner: Pandora | Highly Commended: Nomination Italy
Menswear Retailer of the Year – sponsored by Cambridge Maintenance Services
Winner: Next | Highly Commended: H&M
Mall Kiosk of the Year – sponsored by Trinity
Winner: Krispy Kreme | Highly Commended: Nomination Italy
Restaurant of the Year – sponsored by Metis
Winner: Nando’s | Highly Commended: Wagamama
Specialist Retailer of the Year – sponsored by Worldpay
Winner: Søstrene Grene | Highly Commended: Hotel Chocolat
Womenswear Retailer of the Year – sponsored by Savills
Winner: New Look | Highly Commended: Next
Customer Service Excellence Award – sponsored by BWP
Winner: John Lewis & Partners | Highly Commended: Bravissimo
Retailer of the Year – sponsored by Pradera Lateral
Winner: Bravissimo | Highly Commended: John Lewis & Partners
Newcomer of the Year – sponsored by JLL
Winner: Hotel Chocolat | Highly Commended: Sephora
Manager of the Year – sponsored by Savills
Winner: Jayne Punshon, Next | Highly Commended: Kirsty Hardy, Skechers
ESG Excellence Award – sponsored by Spark EPoS
Winner: H&M | Highly Commended: Superdry
Superstar of the Year – sponsored by Ryder Architecture
Winner: Tanya Mooney, Sephora | Highly Commended: Holly Latimer, Frankie & Benny’s, and Dolores King, Holland & Barrett

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June 2025 issue

2025 A1 Buyers Guide