11:35am Tuesday 30th October 2007
By Dick Bellringer
ABBOTTS Ann - regional winners in the 2006 Best Rural Retailers competition - has received more than 200 nominations in this year's contest.
Regional judging is about to get under way in the Countryside Alliance's third annual competition, with 17 short-listed retailers vying for a regional title and the chance of UK-wide glory.
The Best Rural Retailer competition seeks to celebrate rural communities through the retailers who work so tirelessly to keep them together and promote local produce, skills, enterprise and rural life.
More than 2,500 nominations were received from across the UK and have been whittled down to 200 regional finalists, 17 of which are in the South of England.
In mid-December, one regional winner will be announced in each of the following categories: Best Local Food Retailer; Best Diversification; Best Village Shop/Post Office; The Daily Telegraph Best Traditional Business Sara Rutherford, Count-ryside Alliance regional director for the south of England and leader of the regional judging panel, said: "We have received a very high calibre of nominations which does us proud, and it's good to see that some old friends such as John Robinson the butcher in Stockbridge have made the cut once again."
She added: "Special mention must go to 2006 regional winners Abbotts Ann Village shop, which received over 200 nominations from loyal customers."
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