Retail NI Chief Executive, Glyn Roberts Mayor of Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council, Alderman Stephen Martin. Chair of Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council’s Development Committee, Alderman Amanda Grehan Retail Director of sponsor, Camelot, Jenny. Irish News Group Marketing & Communications Manager, Annette Small. Translink Group Chief Executive, Chris Conway

 The search is now on to find Northern Ireland’s High Street Heroes, a public online vote for shoppers and customers to choose their favourite independent retailer and overall local high street.

After the toughest year in a generation for our local high streets, the call has now opened for local shoppers to name the local retailers they feel should be rewarded for their tireless service to their community.

Whether your High Street Hero is your favourite butcher, baker, or barista, the campaign is a celebration of the brilliant work of independent retailers and the pride they bring to local communities. Votes are already rolling in and the competition is heating up as the deadline for nominations set to close in early August.

High Street Heroes NI is a joint campaign from Retail NI and the Irish News supported by Camelot and Translink. With thousands of votes cast last year across Northern Ireland competition is set to be stiff as town and villages vie for the overall titles.

Votes can be cast across 12 different categories with shoppers and customers asked to name their favourite convenience store, deli, butcher, off-license or Covid-19 champion, among others.

To give your local independent retailers the recognition they deserve place your vote at www.retailni.com/high-street-heroes

Retail NI Chief Executive, Glyn Roberts said: “We are delighted to launch High Street Heroes NI to highlight and celebrate the huge contribution independent retailers make to our local high streets and the economy. High Street Heroes NI gives consumers the opportunity to vote for their favourite independent retailer and high street.”