Sutton shopping centre among best after being shortlisted in prestigious awards

Idlewells has been selected in three categories of the SCEPTRE awards, which take place at the Royal Lancaster London Hotel, in London, on Tuesday, November 23.The awards recognise “best practice” and the “best people” in the shopping centre industry, with a focus on management teams, retailers and suppliers who demonstrate “excellence in how they operate and engage with customers.”This year’s awards will be judged by a panel made up of high profile business people from across the world of retail, including Simon Lewis, group managing director of Lewis Business Media, and Caroline Main, a senior commercial property manager, who has almost 20 years’ experience in the management of shopping centres.

Businesses from across the UK will compete in 15 categories on the night, including Community Initiative of the Year, Customer Services Team of the Year and Christmas Campaign of the Year.Idlewells has been named as a finalist within the Operations Manager of the Year section, with Ian Pratt nominated, as well as the Young Achiever of the Year award, with Centre Manager Chloe O’Donnell a finalist, and the Sustainability Initiative of the Year category, for the centre as a whole.According to the awards, Ian Pratt’s nomination comes from his “ability to continually innovate” in areas from energy consumption and sustainability, to marketing and commercialisation.

Chloe’s nomination comes after she adapted the centre to the COVID pandemic and the Sustainability Initiative of the Year honour, follows on from the recent implementation of a sustainability policy at Idlewells focusing on people, planet and profit.

The policy has resulted in a reduction in electricity consumption of 30 per cent over 12 months. The business recently won a Green Apple award in recognition of its focus on general waste reduction, recycling and energy reduction.

Chloe said: “The SCEPTRE awards stand for best practice and celebrate the amazing people that make centres such as Idlewells perform and meet the needs and expectations of customers,”“I’m so proud of the team here. Everyone continues to go above and beyond with a real sense of purpose to make sure that Idlewells is delivering the best possible shopping experience for residents in the town. We wish everyone the best of luck for the night!”

Support your Chad by becoming a digital subscriber. You will see 70 per cent fewer ads on stories, meaning faster load times and an overall enhanced user experience. Click here to subscribe.