Owners of family-run business thank ‘wonderful’ customers ahead of ‘bitter-sweet’ ceremony

A family-run Ottery business has fought off stiff competition to gain national recognition as a UK Hardware Retailer of the Year Award finalist.

Exceptional customer service and product knowledge have helped Abbott’s DIY, of Jesu Street, beat hundreds of others to the finals and owner Viv Abbott said she was ‘delighted’ with their achievements so far.

Her late husband, Tony, founded the store and the upcoming awards ceremony will be particularly poignant for the family, as they last won the coveted accolade in 2011 – just months before he was taken ill.

Their sons, Chris and Jeff, now run the business along with their mum.

Chris said: “It will be a bitter-sweet experience being at the awards ceremony. Last time we went to this event, it was the four of us and now it’s just the three of us. But I am sure dad will be looking down on us on the night.”

The Abbott’s team had to meet tough criteria to reach this level of the contest and for this final stage, the shops in Ottery and Seaton will be visited by mystery shoppers before the winner is announced on February 16.

Viv said: “We are all really delighted. To be a finalist for UK Hardware Retailer of the Year Award certainly puts Ottery St Mary and Seaton on the map.

“Regardless of if we win or not, it’s a fantastic achievement to get this far, but we could not have done it without the support of all our wonderful customers - without them we could not have achieved this.”