REWARDING excellence in the retail arena is vitally important to one of the sponsors for this year’s Reading Retail Awards.

Reading UK CIC will support the Marketing Campaign of the Year prize, which focusses on the use of innovation in business.

Making the town a vibrant part of Thames Valley and attracting new businesses to the region is something the organisation feels very strongly about.

Nigel Horton-Baker, from Reading UK CIC, said: “Reading has a great patronage from the surrounding region, but we can’t be complacent in the face of online shopping and competition from neighbouring towns, which is why we are sponsoring the Marketing Campaign Award to encourage high quality campaigns that raise the bar and differentiate the Reading offer.”

The awards will come at a time when Reading UK, the Reading Business Improvement District, will be spearheading a major Christmas Festival and marketing campaign.

Business leaders and shining stars of the future have been battling it out over several months to win the hearts of the public.

Hundreds of nominations were received and the panel of judges had the unenviable task of whittling the names down to a shortlist.

The ceremony will be held at The Hilton Hotel on September 22.

Tickets are still on sale for the ceremony, priced at £75 and £700 for tables of 10.

Visit: readingretailawards.co.uk for more information.