AP Awards 2021: The Good Service Awards

Announcing last year’s Good Service Award winners last February we said that 2019 had been the toughest year on record for retailers. A certain virus must have been sniggering in the wings at that, knowing what it had in store for us in 2020.

Retailers have had to contend not only with the continuing decline of both camera sales and bricks and mortar retailing, but a whole new set of problems: reduced footfall due to social distancing; forced closures in lockdowns; more caution about spending; no Photography Show and fewer new product launches to stimulate demand; and in many cases supply issues affecting availability.

So we doff our caps in tribute to the dedication and ingenuity of our retailers for the fact that they’re still here. They have had to adapt, improve their online services, and learn new skills such as hosting online webinars in order to keep their customers engaged, but they have risen to the challenge.

Fortunately, they have been helped a little by the fact that in times of crisis people need the comfort and joy of their hobbies more than ever before. This year AP readers voted for 14 retailers to win a Good Service Award, and as usual there is one Platinum Award for the retailer who received the highest number of votes. This year, once again, that was Grays of Westminster.