A WIRRAL company has completed a double by winning a top award in the kitchen and bathroom retailing industry's annual competition for the second year running.

Roberts and Co. of Argyle Street, Birkenhead, has been named UK Bathroom Retailer of the Year, exactly 12 months after scooping the award for the best bathroom showroom.

This success, announced at the industry's annual 'Oscar' ceremony at London's Hilton Hotel, also brought two 'firsts' for the contest, now in its sixth year: it's the first time that the award has come to the North West and Roberts' managing director Shelagh Walsh is the first woman to receive it.

Impressionist Rory Bremner was guest of honour at the glittering occasion.

The Retailer of the Year competition, open to companies in the UK and Channel Islands, takes account of all aspects of business including product display, customer service and satisfaction

Mrs Walsh said that the success was the result of team work across the business.

"Because of this, it was fitting that other employees were at the awards ceremony to share the limelight and celebrate in style. It was particularly pleasing to become the first winners from the North West," she added.

Opened as a plumbers' merchant at the turn of the century, Roberts and Co. is one of Wirral's oldest retailing businesses. Its bathroom showroom, opened in the mid 1980s, is now one of the largest in the North West.

April will see further business expansion with the opening of a showroom for fitted bedroom furniture at the Argyle Street location. This is seen as a natural extension of the business by Mrs Walsh, who started as a part-time invoice clerk 22 years ago, and is now joint owner and managing director after a management 'buy out' seven years ago which saved the company from closure.

"Very often modernisation of a bathroom and bedroom take place at the same time and it will be an added appeal to customers to have the work done by the same skilled team of fitters from the same company," she added.

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