33 Market Place in Mildenhall named as finalist in Best Newcomer Gift Retailer category at the Greats Gift Retailer Awards 2025

The owner of a town centre shop has expressed her gratitude after her business was named as a finalist for a national award.

Lifestyle shop, 33 Market Place, in Mildenhall, is one of six businesses to be nominated in the Best Newcomer Gift Retailer category at the Greats Gift Retailer Awards 2025.

Shelby Foord opened 33 Market Place in September with the aim of encouraging more people to come and shop in the town.

She said: “We were nominated for the award by suppliers and we didn’t know anything about it until we started getting congratulations cards.

“We opened the shop to try and provide an incentive for more people to come into town and hoped all the local independent businesses would benefit.

“We love UK brands and supporting local suppliers where possible but it’s important to have quality and good prices too.

“We are so chuffed and grateful to be finalists and for a national award too.

“We have been so well supported so thank you to everyone who has supported us - we really do appreciate it.”

After receiving feedback from residents who live in the area of Mildenhall, Shelby settled on starting a lifestyle shop for 33 Market Place, which sells products including clothes, homeware, gifts, accessories and more.

Clothes and socks have been the bestsellers at the store so far.

Shelby has been running popular café Barleycorn, which sits less than a stone’s throw away from her new store, for more than six years.

She runs two other businesses with the Barleycorn Hub at the Mildenhall Hub and Barleycorn Canteen at Turners in Soham.

The other businesses nominated for the Best Newcomer Gift Retailer category include Barley Mow in Faversham, Cards & Moor in Yelverton, Fig & Fox in Romsey, Joli Gifts in Aberdeen, and Orange Blossom Home & Gift in Pollokshields.

An awards ceremony is being held in London today to celebrate the winners from a number of different categories.