Albright of Diss wins Retailer of the Year at the South Norfolk Business Awards

A businesswoman has spoken of her delight after being announced as the winner of a leading award.

Leah Webster, of Albright of Diss, was named as the winner of the South Norfolk Retailer of the Year accolade in the South Norfolk Business Awards at a ceremony at Norwich City Football Club.

The retailer, who took over the St Nicholas Street shop in May 2023, admitted she was shocked when her name was read out.

“I was so relaxed the whole evening until our category came up, then I was really nervous,” she said.

“It was brilliant when our name came out as the winner and we went up and got our award.

“We have only been doing thisfor two years, so we are quite new to the game but we have worked really hard and it was so lovely as well that it was customer nominations that got us there in the first place.”

The Broadland and South Norfolk Business Awards saw 17 businesses celebrating on the night.

Lisa Neal, South Norfolk Council’s cabinet member for a greener economy, said: “The event really showcased the extraordinary range of businesses operating in the district, from huge multi-nationals to fledgling start-ups, in sectors as diverse as food and drink, retail, insurance and tourism.

“It was fantastic to meet the people behind these businesses and a great chance for them to get the recognition they deserve for all the hard work, time and sacrifice they have put in to making their businesses a success.”

Mrs Webster said it was wonderful to be the source of a good news story.

“Diss is such a beautiful town, but sometimes there is a bit of negativity about this town,” she said. “I hope this is something positive that could encourage other people to possibly start a business in the town.

“We have changed and evolved the shop since we have been here and we are very thankful for our customers who continue to support us.”

Also on the night, Ampersand Brewery of Sawmills Road in Diss was highly commended in the Food and Drink Producer of the Year category.

As a reader, we know the value you place on trusted local journalism. At the Diss Express we are committed to delivering the very best coverage from our communities, and we can only do this with the support of our readers.

By becoming a subscriber you not only support us in this mission, you also unlock a whole host of benefits, including unlimited access to ad-lite websites and digital editions of all our weekly newspapers. You can find out more about subscriptions here.

Use the promo code KEVINHURST to get an annual subscription for less than £25 - we really appreciate your support. Thank you.