STAFF at a Barrhead gift shop have something to write home about...after it was named Scotland’s best independent greeting card retailer.

Bluestone, in Cross Arthurlie Street, won the prestigious prize at this year’s Retas Awards.
Having set up shop in Barrhead back in 2000, Bluestone now boasts a total of four branches.

It saw off competition from four other Scottish businesses to taste success at the Retas Awards, with the glittering ceremony taking place in London.

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The prize was collected by Haydn Park-Patterson and Sara Still, whose parents Campbell and Jeanette Park-Patterson established the business.

Sara told the Barrhead News: “Greeting cards have always been the bread and butter of our business. People come from all over to choose cards from our shops, so to be given this award is amazing. Even to be a finalist was huge for us.

“There were five finalists from across Scotland and this is quite a prestigious award to win.

“We have won a couple of awards previously, including one for our jewellery and accessories, and we recently won the Customer Excellence category at the All About Barrhead Awards, so it has been an exciting year for us.

“We have four shops in total – our original store in Barrhead that we opened in 2000, which has been extended to include a café, as well as two shops in Largs and another in Lochgilphead.

“As we have the four branches, we are going to rotate the award around the shops for customers to see. Everyone is stopping to congratulate us and to see the award, which is really nice.

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“I think that, sometimes, we don’t realise how much these awards mean to our customers, especially with the support we’ve had from them over the years.”

The Retas Awards, now in their 15th year, aim to recognise the UK’s best greeting card retailers.

Jeanette said everyone at Bluestone is thrilled to receive national recognition through the awards.

She added: “As we approach our 20th year of trading, achievements like this mean everything to our small family business.”