The first annual East Dulwich Awards

[Mark]

Here at forum HQ we have decided to set up and kick off the first annual East Dulwich Awards. We want to recognise local businesses that stand out from the pack in the eyes of you, the people of East Dulwich. With the help of Clarity (a company owned by local guy and fellow forumite, Paul Collins), we are going to have 12 categories that registered users of the forum can vote on. The East Dulwich Awards 2009 will give you the opportunity to give a deserved pat on the back to local people and companies who have performed well in the previous year.

The list of possible categories we have so far includes:

* Best Customer Service

* Best place for a meal

* Best place for a pint

* Best bar

* Best cheap eat

* Best Sunday lunch

* Best place for gifts

* Most liked estate agent

* Most reliable tradesperson

* Best curry restaurant

* Best take away

* Best newcomer

* Best cafe/coffee shop

* Most child friendly place

* Best Restaurant

* Favourite forum person

* Jewel of the ED crown (overall winner)

This is not a final list so please let us know any suggestions, and as they seem to be mainly food/drink biased any suggestions on categories that will include other companies will be especially welcome.

So here's how it?s going to work (and initial dates):

1) 12 categories are decided (mid December)

2) A nomination process is run through the forum, a company needs to be proposed at least twice (15-22 January)

3) Voting takes place (25-31 January)

The winners of the ED Awards will receive window stickers, a trophy, a logo to use and the almighty privilege of calling themselves the best XXX in East Dulwich 2009. We?ll arranging PR so the names will be getting spread far and wide and we hope the positive publicity and good will helps give a little assistance with sales and footfalls.

Business sponsorship needed:

Obviously this will take some money to set up so we are looking for companies to sponsor each award category. The sponsoring companies don't have to be based in East Dulwich but they will receive exposure to the 6,500 registered users of East Dulwich Forum as well as associated publicity (the polling survey will be branded with the logo?s of sponsoring companies). Sponsors won?t be able to sponsor categories they are nominated in. We?re keeping the sponsoring price to a nominal level that covers our costs in delivering this and we really hope companies and forumites get behind this and we can make the ED Awards a worthwhile event that?s looked forward to and grows and develops year on year. To sponsor an award or note your interest and gain further information please email [email protected]

Thank you

Mark and Paul

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

If you are being as niche as favourite estate agent, I think there should be a best schizophrenic poster award. HonB is just edging it over Brendan with the two Xmas Bars.

[Mark]

Sensible suggestions please

[mockney piers]

Good work chaps. Looking forward to it.

[Cassius]

Most liked Estate Agent - shouldn't that be least disliked Estate Agent? Otherwise we are in oxymoron territory.

[Keef]

Great idea, have to agree with PGC's point on "most liked estate agent", most people will have only dealt with one, or none, and not many people will come away from the experience exchanging numbers with the estate agent and catching up for beers every now and then.

Are you going to do short lists, or is it anywhere that falls within SE22, or are you extending boundaries?

Anyway, like I said, great idea overall.

[SeanMacGabhann]

Another category suggestion

Best corner shop (everyone uses them and has a favourite surely?)

As keef says tho, I think we need to define what we mean by East Dulwich - not to claim some surrounding parts as East Dulwich but as most of us bimble around a probably shared radius it seems unfair to exclude some businesses based on post code?

My own suggestion would be a circle drawn around The Harvester in the South, Dulwich Village to the West, the Herne Tavern and the Nuns Head Eastish and Denmark Hill Station North

[Mark]

OK, so we probably won't have the most liked estate agent (we were scraping the barrel with that one) but what else could we have? It's be good to have awards that could include people and businesses without a shop front like accountants, estate agents, garages etc.

The border will be SE22/East Dulwich only, we have to draw a line somewhere and the SE22 border seems like the most obvious way to do it. [added after reading Sean's post] But we would consider moving it based on nominations received.

I like the Best corner shop, good one.

[edited once]

[SeanMacGabhann]

oops - looks like a cross-post and my wider area has been rejected. Hopefully corner-shop suggestion stays tho!

[Keef]

Was going to suggest a couple of best tradesmen awards (plumber, painter, sparky etc), but it would just end up with all their mates voting, and I'm not sure it would be a real expression of satisfied customers...

Best Church (I am serious)

Best sports viewing venue? (trying to think of things that people regularly ask about on here)

Best baby/toddler group?

Best local covers band? ;-)

[ratty]

Best Barperson!

[ralphation]

Best Brownies - that's had its own thread and everything.

[mockney piers]

Best alternative health care provider?

They're well used even if some of us remain sceptical.

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Most creative use of a teapot?

[aliceb]

I want to second the best brownie and best corner shop ideas.

Also, best coffee (in addition to best coffeeshop), tastiest bread and best grocer. I think a best stallholder (to include North Cross Rd and the ED Warehouse) and/ or 'most orginal business' would help include some of the less easily classified salespeople of SE22.

[AcedOut]

Great Idea. I'd add...

Best cocktail

Best breakfast

This should be great PR for both the local retailers and the forum alike. I will nudge a new of my PR friends....

[AcedOut]

Best location for a Simply Foods ;)

[Indiana]

Can we have Best Specialist Service ?

Ie could be a Dry Cleaners, Cobblers, Curtain Maker, local Photographer, Launderette etc..........

[Muttley]

Sorry to go against the flow and good intentions of this thread, but to have all these categories strikes me as being an unsustainable gimmick. I suggest you concentrate on at most just three or four categories, which should relate to enterprises that people might use several times a year so that comparison is realistic. Personally I'd go with just one category - customer service - as it includes everyone and it's the most important factor that makes the LL/SE22 experience a good or a bad one.

As they say, less is more.

[Huguenot]

I treid this just with restaurants. Does this link to an example survey work?

[mockney piers]

not for me, it says something about not authenticating me, then goes to the home page.

[Huguenot]

Try this

[Mark]

It'll be the first awards and we'll see how it goes however I don't think having just one award is particularly exciting and makes it a bit too exclusive. It'll be great to spread the awards around so there can be more winners and get more people involved and excited. Making it three to four maybe a better option, perhaps they could be the Customer Service Awards for three or four categories. What would those categories be though? Like I said the categories haven't been decided yet so more suggestions are appreciated.

[Keef]

Having thought about it, I am agreeing with Muttley.

Just look at the "best curry house in ED" thread, opinion is so divided, I don't think you'd ever get a clear winner, and I'm not sure a place deserves to hold a title when several other places have got almost as many votes.

Tough one though, what prizes would you have if you only had 4? Agree Best customer service (for ANY business) would be good.

[Sue]

I agree with Muttley too.

I think having too mamy categories is confusing and unsustainable in the longer term.

I do agree that customer service should be key.

How are you going to prevent lots of votes from "interested parties" connected to the nominees though?