INDEPENDENT Winchester jewellery and watch retailer Burrells has been celebrated with a special industry award.

The family-run business, who have a store on Winchester High Street and head office just outside the city centre, were named Watch Retailer of the Year at the UK Retailer Jewellery Awards 2019.

Almost 700 representatives from the UK jewellery and watch trade attended the awards ceremony, which was held at the Artillery Garden in London.

The UK Jewellery Awards Judging Panel 2019 agreed that Burrells has “become a go-to destination for watches, supported by a renewed focus on window displays, in-store merchandising and branding.”

Burrells chief executive Edward Ferris said: “We are delighted to be named Watch Retailer of the Year at the industry’s leading awards ceremony. It was a very competitive category, so this recognition is very special and testament to the hard work of the whole Burrells team.”

Established in 1974, Burrells has four stores, in Winchester, Kingston, Tunbridge Wells and Staines.

Burrells prides itself on providing customers with a bespoke experience every time they visit. Whether it’s designing and creating a piece of jewellery that doesn’t exist yet or finding the perfect watch, Burrells will ensure customers find jewellery that will last generations.

Ruth Faulkner, editor, Retail Jeweller, said: “As ever, this year’s Awards proved to be the premium night in the trade’s calendar with almost 700 of the best in the business in attendance to celebrate their achievements of the last 12 months . The companies we celebrated at this year’s Awards from across all areas of the industry and the supply chain must be applauded as the leading lights in our sector.”