Winning businesses crowned after hundreds of votes cast in Sudbury's biggest ever Christmas Window Display competition
The winners of the “biggest and most creative ever” Christmas Window Display Competition in Sudbury have been crowned.
Bridal shop Silk and Maple, located in Friars Street, won the public vote in this year’s contest, jointly organised by Sudbury Town Council and thebestof Sudbury, after more than 800 votes were cast for over 100 participating businesses.
A panel of judges also named Station Road-based insurance broker Coversure as their winner, while Sudbury mayor Sue Ayres selected Angelo Smith, the jewellery shop in North Street, for the mayor’s choice award.
Roberta Lambert and Tegan Patmore, co-owners of Silk and Maple, said their victory in the public vote took them by surprise, having only launched their business at the end of July.
“We couldn’t believe it,” said Tegan. “As a new business, we just weren’t expecting it at all.
“We are so proud of our window and we’re really honoured to be chosen.”
“It has been amazing,” added Roberta. “Sudbury is such an incredible and wholesome place. We’re just so happy to be here.”
Lee Parker, managing director of Coversure in Sudbury, said they are “delighted and honoured” to be among the winners, adding: “What has been really great is the sheer amount of people who stop and look at the display.”
Town centre manager Rachel Price thanked all businesses, and co-organiser Penny Wilby from thebestof Sudbury, for their support.
“After the toughest couple of years in high street history, it would have been very easy for Sudbury’s businesses to opt out of town centre initiatives and Christmas cheer, but they’ve done quite the opposite,” she told Suffolk News.
“This year’s Christmas Window Display Competition has been our biggest and most creative yet. We’ve definitely seen some of the most artful festive window displays for some years. They’ve certainly put smiles on faces when we all needed it most.
“Looking forward, the collaborative spirit of our high street will continue to be its strength – local supporting local. I would like to say a huge heartfelt thank you to everyone who continues to support local businesses.
"We really have some exceptional independent businesses in town and we’d like to keep them, they are such a huge part of Sudbury’s uniqueness."