Last chance to nominate your favoirite shops for Sheffield City Centre Retail Awards

Whether it’s a clothes shop, a jewellery shop, a gift shop, a music shop or a cafe, there's plenty to choose from and they all offer a wide range of beautiful unique products, often handmade by the shop owners themselves.

Making purchases in these independent shops is so important. For the shop owners, each sale for them is helping to keep their business going. For the shoppers, they provide a chance to find items that are a bit different and which can’t be found anyone else.

It is vital to have a wide range of shop choices on our high street, as Sheffield city centre does, because it’s good for shoppers to have a choice.

They add variety to the streets, and along with that they add personality.

Our sister title, The Star, Sheffield, is celebrating these shops as part of The Sheffield City Centre Retail Awards.

These awards are the first of their kind – and everyone can take part. Independent retailers – and also high street shops can be nominated - by shop owners, shop staff and shoppers.

Entries to the awards are coming in, but there’s now only hours left to nominate and I would like to encourage Telegraph readers to vote for their favourites.We want the views of shop owners, staff and customers. You can enter in as many categories as you like. If you think your favourite shops, and the people who work in them, deserve some recognition, this is a perfect way to let them know.You can vote for your own shop, and also please don’t forget to support other city centre shops and vote for them too.You can vote online at www.sheffieldretailawards.co.uk, where you can find details of each category and the criteria for entry. You’ll also be able to read more about our sponsors.

There are 12 categories1. Start up Retailer of the Year 2. Independent Retailer of the Year3. Small Retailer of the Year4. Large Retailer of the Year5. Speciality Retailer of the Year6. Cafe of the Year7. Apprentice of the Year8. Rising Star 9. Customer Service Award10. Sustainable Retailer of the Year11. Best Shop Front of the Year12. Outstanding Contribution to RetailClosing date for entries is today, September 12 at 6pm.