The Reading Retail Awards is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year.

The culmination of the next few months will be the glittering black tie awards evening, which will take place on September 28 at the Hilton Hotel.

This week, the organisers behind the annual ceremony are throwing back to the first edition of the awards, which took place in 2010.

Back then, some of the category names were slightly different, but many elements of the awards have remained the same over the last decade.

A launch event was held at The Hilton Hotel at the beginning of the month to launch this year’s campaign.

Esteemed guests, including Sir John Madejski, attended the event and looked back on the success of the retail awards over the years.

The awards are free to enter and have been designed to recognise and reward outstanding retailing, service and dining.

There are three new categories this year, including Best New Store, Pub of the Year and Outstanding Achievement Award.

The nomination process is simple and is open until July 26.

Entry forms can be collected from the information desks in either The Oracle or The Broad Street Mall.

Tickets will be available to purchase, priced at £75 from the Reading Retail Awards website from June.

List of 2010 Winners:

  • My Favourite Coffee Shop: Delicious, Prospect Street, Caversham
  • The Lovely Lunch: LSQ2
  • Service With a Smile: The Blue Duck Gallery, Hemdean Road, Caversham
  • Shop I Can’t Live Without (Multiple): John Lewis
  • Shop I Can’t Live Without (Independent): Altimus, Broad Street Mall
  • Store Design and Environment of the Year: Clas Ohlson
  • Independent Retailer of the Year: Picnic, Butter Market, Reading town centre
  • Promotional Initiative of the Year: Modelzone, Broad Street Mall
  • Multiple Retailer of the Year: John Lewis
  • Shooting Star: Shelley Viveash – John Lewis
  • Store Manager of the Year: Penny Antolini – L’Occitane
  • Retailer of the Year: Marks & Spencer