At this year’s January Furniture Show, the event’s long-established awards scheme levelled up, as the inaugural Excellence in Furniture Awards welcomed more than 350 guests to an evening packed with hospitality, humour, and vociferous recognition for the industry’s star players.
On Monday 19th January, as the main event closed for the day, another opened. A steady stream of guests, all dressed to impress, made their way to the NEC’s Concourse Suites for an evening of entertainment and excellence, all eager to discover the winners of the awards’ debut.
“Building on the legacy of The Furniture Awards, this new celebration brought the entire industry together to recognise outstanding achievement across brands, retailers, manufacturers, service providers, and the individuals behind the success,” says Paddy Wallace, head of sales at The Furniture Shows.
The awards, delivered in partnership with headline sponsor Snap Finance, shined a light on some of the sector’s most innovative and inspiring names, recognising everything “from stand-out marketing campaigns to businesses delivering truly exceptional service”, says Paddy.
Following a sit-down meal, the awards kicked off with introductory speeches from Paddy, Snap Finance’s CMO Lindsey Lindsay and The Furniture Makers’ Company’s master Debbie Johnson, before comedian Scott Bennett took the stage to warm up the guests with a riotous routine.
The award presentations then commenced, with representatives from the awards’ sponsors and partners (including Furniture News’ Paul Farley) announcing each winner. Vice City 80s Band then closed out the evening with live music, dancing and good company.
Next year’s awards will take place on Monday 25th January. In the meantime, read this month's issue to discover why this year’s winners made the cut …
