Winners have been declared in the Penrith Christmas window competition, a town centre festive tradition dating back to the 1960s.
This year, the competition ran over a four-week period from Saturday, 16th November, with judges picking the winners in four of the categories and a new “People’s Choice” category which was decided by public vote.
Fifty businesses took part this year, and there was a map which people could use to follow the “window trail” around the town, spotting and voting for their favourites.
The judges this year were Sarah and Andrew Greenop and Jaqui and Keith Jackson, from Thomas Jardine & Co, Carlisle. The presentation was held on Monday evening at the Arturo Lounge, with prizes awarded as follows:
- Best Retail Window and overall winner: Home & More Interiors.
- Best Non Retail Winner: Tasty Bites.
- Best Charity Window: Eden Valley Hospice and Jigsaw charity shop.
- Best After Dark: Sands Gift Shop.
- Joint winners for the Most Creative Window: Greenwheat Florist and Purdon & Co.
- Best Small Window: Bake4Eden.
- Highly Commended: The Unicorn, Restore and Dodd & Co.
- The public vote for best Christmas window was won by Eden Valley Hospice/Jigsaw.
Speaking after the presentation, Chamber of Trade president Stephen Macaulay said: “It was great to see so many businesses out to celebrate the Christmas Window Awards. It’s a great tradition and 55 years on still going strong.
“This year we had record entries and the standard was exceptional, resulting in a range of awards. Arturo Lounge were great hosts and gave the overall winners, Home & More Interiors, a celebratory bottle of champagne to mark the occasion.”
