Organisers of the Wilmslow Artisan Market have been shortlisted for Mary Portas's new High Street Champion of the Year Award, which is part of The Daily Telegraph's Reinventing the High Street campaign.
The Artisan Market Company is one of four nominees to be shortlisted by Mary Portas and invited to meet with her at the Telegraph's offices in London next month.
Denise Valente and Vicky Jackson will have a 30 minute interview with the retail expert and broadcaster on December 5th. The winner of the award will be announced on the day and photographs will be taken for a forthcoming article in Telegraph Weekend, featuring all four finalists.
Jayne Lomas, of Bill & Betty, nominated the couple who launched the Wilmslow Artisan Market back in 2011, with the aim of rejuvenating Wilmslow town centre.
Jayne said "Denise Valente and Vicky Jackson have both triumphed in winning the backing of both Cheshire East Council and Wilmslow Town Council, hand picking a team of talented stall holders to add support to the local shops as well as bringing back new and existing customers to Wilmslow.
"Not only have Denise and Vicky brought life back to the high street but it has spurred people to spend many hours shopping in the centre."
She added "These girls have won several awards, but I believe for them to win The Telegraphs High Street Champion of the Year award, would make them realise that their hard work is so well deserved."
The Artisan Market Company is absolutely thrilled to have been nominated by one of the artisan traders who works with them.
Denise Valente said "Without the exceptional talents and enthusiasm of our traders we would not have achieved our ambitious aims for The Artisan Market Company, we owe a huge amount of its success to each and everyone of them."
She added "The Artisan Market is more than a street market our goal is to reinvigorate our local towns. It is not based around a particular product, it is not centred on a theme, it is much bigger than that. It is a package focused on experience and designed to appeal to all members of our local community.
"The Artisan Market, facilitates the making and creating of products, it creates a vibrant atmosphere for our traders to trade in, a shop window for enterprise and innovation, it provides a place to eat, to drink, to shop, to chat, to meet friends, to listen to music, to dance, a place to bring people together.
"The event recreates the days when the high street was king, the days when people interacted with a specialist. It brings the community together, creates buzz, vitality and adds colour to our high streets, and offers the opportunity for social interaction within our communities."
The Wilmslow Artisan Market will take place from 10am until 4pm on Sunday, 17th November when over 100 stalls will be located down Grove Street, Grove Avenue and Bank Square.
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