Mystery Shop Awards 2024
The Cambridge BID Awards are an annual initiative which recognise and reward those businesses that are delivering outstanding customer service. Cambridge BID works with mystery shop experts Storecheckers, to deliver an annual mystery shop project, offering participating businesses the opportunity to receive feedback on the experience customers have with them. The project delivers detailed mystery shop feedback for nearly 100 businesses across a range of sectors.
Our Cambridge BID Award winners are decided based on the results of the mystery shop visits - our winners have all achieved the highest mystery shop scores across a number of different categories.
Maria Manion, Chief Executive of Cambridge BID said, “providing excellent customer service is a fundamental component of encouraging repeat visits and building a strong customer base and we are delighted that this BID project recognises the outstanding work being done by businesses in Cambridge.”
Members of the Cambridge BID team delivered the Cambridge BID Awards to winning businesses earlier this month and below is a roundup of all our 2024 winners:
Meet our 2024 Winners:
Late Night Venue – Joint Winner
CHAMPION OF THE THAMES
Champion of the Thames prides itself on two things – two rooms, one with a cosy snug,
the other with a warm fire and high stools where our wonderful team consistently offer
excellent service to our equally excellent patrons. The other thing we’re immensely
proud of is our ales. Most recently winning both City & District CAMRA Awards, runner
up in the Velvet Food & Drink Awards and now BID’s Mystery Shopper Award two years
running!
Champ proprietor, Lawrence Dixon said “We’re incredibly honoured to have been awarded the Mystery Shop award for the second year in a row! It’s a wonderful feeling to know that our dedication to providing top-notch service and a welcoming environment has been recognised. A huge thank you to our amazing team and, of course, to our fantastic customers who make Champion of the Thames such a special place. We’ll keep striving to make every visit a memorable one!”
Storecheckers said: “I would be more than happy to return to the pub as I felt welcomed and well served at all times. I was left feeling that I would be happy to become a regular visitor and that I could be part of a community by doing so.”
Late Night Venue – Joint Winner
THE ORATOR
The Orator is the newly refurbished Cambridge Union Bar and Restaurant (previously 1815 bar), based in the centre of Cambridge. Whether you are looking for a coffee catch up, date night, or a meal with friends you won’t be disappointed.
Joe Burman at The Orator said “We’re thrilled to have won the Mystery Shop award! Huge thanks to our incredible team and amazing guests for making The Orator a special place. We can’t wait to continue serving you!”
Storecheckers said: “I definitely would recommend this bar. The service was very friendly, and the staff were happy to help. I can see myself returning here, it's my kind of bar. It felt quite sophisticated, I really liked it.”
Restaurant – Winner
BISTRO DU VIN
Our Cambridge bistro is the heart and soul of Hotel du Vin Cambridge. Our warm, elegant and informal setting with natural daylight, reclaimed dark-stained floorboards, restored fireplaces, beautiful art, soft lighting and very comfortable chairs, makes for a delightful breakfast, lunch or dinner - where guests can meet, celebrate or simply pass the time.
Martina Bacharova at Hotel du Vin & Bistro said “At Hotel du Vin & Bistro, we take pride in offering a unique blend of elegant dining and boutique comfort. We are grateful to win the Mystery Shop award in the restaurant category and would like to give a heartfelt thank you to our dedicated team and loyal guests who make every experience special. We look forward to welcoming you back for more memorable meals and stays.”
Storecheckers said: “The staff members were all friendly and helpful. I felt the customer service was perfect so I would strongly recommend the venue to friends.”
Café – Winner
FITZBILLIES TRUMPINGTON ST
104 year old Cambridge bakery Fitzbillies is best known for its legendarily sticky Chelsea buns. The original branch in Trumpington St first opened in 1920 and has now grown to include a restaurant, serving brunch and afternoon tea and a coffee shop, in addition to the original cake shop. There are two other Fitzbillies bakery coffee shops in King’s Parade and Bridge St, an offsite bakery and an online business at www.fitzbillies.com delivering Chelsea buns and other treats across the UK.
Anna Gacek at Fitzbillies said “Fitzbillies may have a long history, but what’s important is that we provide an excellent customer experience today and everyday for the customers in our three Bakery Coffee Shops and Trumpington St Restaurant & Tearoom. This award recognises the great work of our whole team: the bakers, chefs and baristas who make delicious food and drink and the front of house team who offer a warm welcome. Thanks to all our team members and customers. Here’s to many more years of serving you delicious treats!”
Storecheckers said: “The venue was very well presented. The staff member was friendly and welcoming and answered my questions with enthusiasm. The food was very good. I would be very happy to recommend the venue to others.”
Independent Business - Joint Winner
HARRIET KELSALL BESPOKE JEWELLERY
Harriet Kelsall Bespoke Jewellery is the UK’s Bespoke Jeweller of the Year 2024 and has been offering an outstanding service for over 25 years. Creating bespoke rings and jewellery with them is a personal experience, where celebrating everyone’s individuality is at the forefront of their design process. They have an experienced team of jewellery designers and goldsmiths across their 4 studios and North Herts workshop. Together they’re an exceptional mix of people who are passionate about telling customer stories through creativity, innovation, and sound ethics.
Harriet Kelsall, Owner of Harriet Kelsall Bespoke Jewellery, said “At Harriet Kelsall Bespoke Jewellery, we’re dedicated to creating unique and meaningful pieces that our clients cherish. We’re proud to be celebrating 20 years on Green Street, where this award is a testament to the passion and craftsmanship of our team. Thank you to everyone who has supported us and helped make this achievement possible.”
Storecheckers said: “The assistant was friendly and helpful. They had excellent product knowledge and asked all the right questions to understand what I was looking for. They engaged well with me, making me feel at home and welcome. They also made sensible and helpful suggestions about their products and introduced me to their designer service so I could arrange for a necklace that would be unique to my wife. They listened and reacted, which allowed us to have an excellent discussion.”
Independent Business – Joint Winner
UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE MUSEUM GIFT SHOP
The University of Cambridge Museums gift shop sells a wide range of intriguing and beautiful products inspired by the University of Cambridge Museum collections. A perfect spot to find a gift for that person in your life who already has everything. As well as many of our own products, the shop stocks a wide range of gifts, souvenirs and books, all selected to showcase the incredible breadth of the collections of the University of Cambridge.
Kathryn Gainford at University of Cambridge Museum Giftshop said “Winning the Mystery Shop award is a fantastic achievement for the University of Cambridge Museum Giftshop! This award celebrates our dedication to providing a memorable shopping experience and showcasing the unique charm of Cambridge. A huge thank you to our wonderful team and the many visitors who make our shop special.’”
Storecheckers said: “I thought the stock was good plus the staff member was very helpful and friendly.”
curatingcambridge.co.uk/pages/university-of-cambridge-museums-shop
National Business – Joint Winner
LULULEMON
lululemon is a technical athletic apparel brand designing gear for yoga, run, training and everything in between—but we’re more than just that.
We’re a mindful movement that believes if we push past our sweaty boundaries, we’re able to build the strength to push ourselves in other aspects of life.
Aurelia Coster at lululemon said “We are very pleased to have won this Mystery Shop award. A huge thank you to our fantastic team for their commitment and to our customers for their ongoing support. Well done team Cambridge!”
Storecheckers said: “Very helpful and friendly staff, who were also proactive and looked to be very happy in their work. I would definitely recommend it.”
National Business – Joint Winner
LUSH
Lush was founded in 1995 by six co-founders: Mo Constantine, Mark Constantine, Rowena Bird, Helen Ambrosen, Liz Bennett and Paul Greeves. Emerging from the demise of a previous mail order business called Cosmetics To Go – a massive success that collapsed through a combination of over-trading and flooding – it was the same team that created and inspired this new venture called Lush.
Lush is 10% Employee Owned and our people are the heart and soul of our business…
James Williams at Lush said “We are so pleased to receive a Cambridge BID Award in recognition of our outstanding customer services. This recognition is a testament to our commitment to exceptional customer service and our passion for creating fresh, ethical products. We extend our heartfelt thanks to our dedicated team, whose enthusiasm and care make every customer experience special, and to everyone who supports us by embracing our values and products.”
Storecheckers said: “The members of staff were motivated and enthusiastic, and their faces were glowing. They all worked wonderfully together as a team, regardless of the store being extremely busy and very noisy. I felt they were real ambassadors for the brand.”
Professional Business - Winner - Joint Winner
PREMIER TRAVEL
Premier Travel is a privately owned, independent travel agency with over 87 years' experience in the travel industry and 26 branches throughout East Anglia and Southern England. Being independent, we have the flexibility to work with a multitude of tour operators to offer the widest range of travel products, from traditional UK holidays, bespoke tailor-made journeys around the world, cruises, city stays, beach holidays and theatre breaks to an overseas wedding of your dreams.
Amanda Aldridge from Premier Travel said “We are delighted that Premier Travel has won the Mystery Shop award. We appreciate our dedicated team’s efforts and the trust of our wonderful clients. Here’s to more exciting journeys and continued excellence in travel planning.”
Storecheckers said: “I found the staff member very helpful and friendly without being pushy in their sales technique and I would return because they found a holiday for me based on the criteria that I gave.”
Professional Business - Winner - Joint Winner
GRAND ARCADE CAR PARK
Grand Arcade car park is the nearest multi-storey car park to the city centre, colleges and the river. It has been awarded Park Mark status.
Joe Flack at Grand Arcade Car Park said “We are grateful to have won this award as it shows that our commitment to delivering exceptional service, from our well-maintained facilities to our helpful and approachable staff has been recognised. Thank you to our dedicated team for their hard work and to all our visitors for choosing us. We will continue to focus on offering a seamless and positive parking experience for all.”
Storecheckers said: “The staff member paid full attention to me throughout the interaction and were helpful in their suggestions.”
Leisure & Tourism - Winner
LOCKHOUSE ESCAPE GAMES
Our escape rooms are the perfect blend of team building, problem solving, competition, and fun. Our rooms take up to 60 minutes to complete and can accommodate teams of 6-7 (depending on room).
Harry Janes at Lockhouse Escape Games said “All of us at Lockhouse Escape Games are thrilled to have won this Mystery Shop Award. We strive to ensure that each visit is filled with excitement, creativity, and outstanding customer service. Thank you to our incredible staff and our customers for making this achievement possible.”
Storecheckers said: “Based on our experience during our visit, we feel we had a strong likelihood of returning in the future. The immersive atmosphere, engaging staff, and challenging puzzles made a lasting impression, leaving us eager to revisit for another adventure.”
Market Traders – Winner
HALLOUMAN
Hallouman is all about freshness, fabulous ingredients and phenomenal flavours. We offer mouthwateringly delicious street food snacks based around that most versatile of cheeses, Halloumi.
Cameron Clark at Hallouman said “Our passion for great service and delicious food is at the heart of everything we do, and this award is a wonderful validation of those efforts. A huge thank you to our fantastic staff and valued customers who make Hallouman such a special place. We look forward to continuing to serve you with excellence."
Storecheckers said: “The service was very good. It was very friendly, frank and open.”
Overnight Accommodation – Winner
ST CATHARINE’S COLLEGE
St Catharine’s College is located in the heart of Cambridge and recently celebrated the 550th anniversary of its foundation in 1473. As a College of the University of Cambridge, it is home to a welcoming, thriving and vibrant academic community of approximately 1,000 students, Fellows and staff. The College has invested over £30 million in improving its accommodation and facilities over the last few years, including enhancing the accessibility and sustainability of its historical buildings.
Rob Jonas, Catering & Conference Director at St Catharine’s, said, “We are delighted that St Catharine’s has won this award for best customer experience. This achievement highlights our unwavering commitment to providing a high quality environment for our overnight guests to enjoy. Our dedicated staff work tirelessly to ensure that everyone feels welcome and comfortable, and this award is a wonderful acknowledgment of their efforts.”
Storecheckers said: “All the staff that I came into contact with were helpful and friendly. Everyone seemed to be smiling, and they made good eye contact. If I asked for information, such as directions to somewhere, they were able to give it accurately and quickly. The porter in the Porters’ Lodge was happy and friendly when I arrived and again when I left. They wished me a safe journey home and invited me to return.”
Special Recognition Accessibility Award
This year we have introduced a Special Recognition Award, which recognises a business that offers an accessible entrance for wheelchair users and those with prams, with an interior that is easily accessible. Each business was then asked a question about a quiet place in store or time that the Mystery Shopper could come back and visit with someone who has Aspergers. Audio Visual Consultancy’s customer service for this was excellent by offering to close the store temporarily to have a private consultation if they were told in advance and it was booked.
Audio Visual Consultancy
Audio Visual Consultancy is operated as a family run business owned by the Blake family. Abba Hi-Tech Ltd trading as Audio Visual Consultancy founded in 1989 and has over 35 years’ experience in selling, installing and servicing Luxury Lifestyle Audio Visual products. All of the showrooms offer an unrivalled level of service and advice in an environment which is both stimulating and relaxing.
Paul Blake, Managing Director at Audio Visual Consultancy said “Thank you so much for this kind recognition, we are very proud to receive this new award. We will always endeavour to welcome anyone to our store and make them feel welcome and comfortable. Also, if they need a private viewing and more time for their specific needs, this can always be arranged.”
