Mystery shoppers were sent by Liverpool BID Company to test the customer services skills of more than 400 businesses in Liverpool city centre – and the winners are now revealed. Tony McDonough reports

 

Liverpool BID Company has revealed the winners of its 13th annual Mystery Shop Awards.

It hired ProInsights to send mystery shoppers into more than 400 businesses in Liverpool city centre. They included coffee shops to opticians, national retailers, independent restaurants and accommodation providers across its three separate BIDs.

City centre businesses were visited and marked against a list of criteria to see how well they’re performing. The average customer rating in the city was 82.6%. 48 businesses achieved 100%.

The winners and runners up each achieved more than 90% approval. In the accommodation category, an incredible five hotels all received 100% meaning five overall winners for hotels.

Jennina O’Neill, chair of the Retail & Leisure BID and centre manager at Mequarter, said: “It is such a privilege to see our city centre businesses being celebrated.

“These are the small, independent and high street brands and names we all recognise but that go the extra mile to make our city centre the vibrant place it is.

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“It hasn’t been the easiest year for our retailers, nor our hospitality businesses, but that hasn’t stopped their commitment and determination to deliver the best service they can for customers.

“I’m particularly thrilled to see so many businesses achieve 100%, showing that commitment to great service is something we regard very highly in Liverpool.”

Results are based on businesses that achieved the highest score with a runner-up:

Retail – Independent 

Winner: The Sweet & Gift Company

Runner up: Wongs Jewellers

Retail – Clothing & Footwear

Winner: Bravissimo

Runner up: GO Outdoors

Retail – Health, Beauty & Jewellery

Winners: LUSH and Pandora

Retail – Home & Technology 

Winners: Machine Mart and Castle Fine Art

Retail – Convenience

Winners: Tesco Express Bold St and Tesco Express Dale Street

Service – Travel

Winner: Hays Travel and TUI

Service – Banking

Winner: Yorkshire Building Society

Service – Hair

Winner: RUSH

Culture

Winner: British Music Experience

Runner up: LCC Culture and Tourism – Civic Halls, Town Hall

Leisure

Winner: Boom Battle Bar

Runner up: Leo Casino, Leisure Time

Hospitality – Independent 

Winner: Liverpool Gin Distillery

Runner up: LEAF

Hospitality – Restaurant

Winner: Dash Restaurant and Bar and Wildwood

Hospitality – Quick Service

Winner: Popeyes

Runner up: Costa Coffee (Ranelagh St)

Hospitality – Night Time Economy

Winner: Flares

Runner up: Metrocola & Rock n Rolla

Accommodation – Serviced Apartments 

Winner: Staycity Aparthotel, Duke Street

Runner up: Kabannas Liverpool

Accommodation – Hotels 

Winners: Hope Street Hotel, Dixie Dean Hotel, Travelodge Hotels (Innovation Park), Hampton by Hilton (Hurst Street), The Pullman

Newcomer of the Year

Winner: Zenn Liverpool

Runner up: Diamond Heaven

Nominated Categories 

Green Champion

Winner: Aloft Liverpool

Community Spirit Award

Winner: Howard Lewis, Novotel Paddington Village