A HEREFORDSHIRE shop has been named one of the top retailers in the country.

Hopes of Longtown, based in Longtown in the Golden Valley, found out this week it had been named in the Independent Achievers Academy for the sixth time.

BetterRetailing.co.uk, which publishes the annual list of top 100 independent shops in the UK and Ireland, said it was thrilled to share the list of local news and convenience retailers aspiring for success and achieving it.

"The Top 100 represents stores that are delivering brilliant standards, offering fantastic service, and creating memorable experiences for their shoppers," it said.

"All while juggling the many challenges that the convenience retail sector currently faces.

"The Top 100 is decided by Newtrade Media's expert team following rigorous, independent assessments to assess who qualifies for this widely respected and much-desired badge of success."

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Christine Hope, founder and partner at the shop, said: "We're top 100 retailer again, I am so, so, so happy. The team has worked so hard again this year.

"People don't realise how hard it is in retail some time – I'm sure you do actually, my customers do because I blumming moan about it all the time."

Hopes of Longtown, run by Christine Hope, has hit the top 100 UK convenience shops for sixth consecutive year

Hopes of Longtown, run by Christine Hope, has hit the top 100 UK convenience shops for a sixth consecutive year

In the Facebook video she added: "I'm thrilled. Huge thanks to my team, tell them congratulations if you see them. Fab suppliers, we have loads of them, but you marvellous customers, we can't do it without you."

The independent assessments to find the top 100 shops in the UK include a mystery shop and audit to assess customer experience, ease of shop, breadth of range, merchandising standards, availability levels and innovation.

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It also includes a digital review to understand how many consumers are being reached, engagement levels with customers and the impact of each store's online presence.

There is also a video interview to evaluate the strength of processes in place in attracting customers, adhering to legislation, developing staff and operating sustainably.

 

The Hopes of Longtown post office opened in 2003

The Hopes of Longtown post office opened in 2003

 

When the village shop in Longtown closed, Christine Hope, backed by her parents and now business partners Jenny and Philip Hope, developed Hopes of Longtown on the family farm in 2001, seeing an opportunity for a vibrant village store which could serve its local community in a variety of ways.

More than just a village shop, Hopes also provides support by acting as a local food bank and offering a refill service to allow people to shop in an environmentally friendly way.

The Post Office, which opened at Hopes of Longtown in 2003 is an essential service for this rural community, providing a much-needed banking service at a time when an increasing number of banks are closing their doors in rural towns.

The shop also aims to support local producers and businesses, a spokesperson said, encouraging customers to shop locally to help sustain and create jobs in the area, with produce from within 30 miles of the shop signposted so customers can easily see which products come from the local area.

Crucial to the success of Hopes of Longtown, which celebrated its 20th birthday in December, is its staff, a passionate team of people who value their community.