Success for town shop

Shrewsbury has received a boost by having one of its flagship retailers voted as the best in the country.

Upmarket audio visual store Bang & Olufsen beat off competition from over 120 other outlets to receive the prestigious accolade.

Directors Roger Boyle and Richard Terry said their decision to move to Shrewsbury two years ago to open the Bang & Olufsen franchise had now been fully vindicated.

They were presented with their award at a ceremony in Cannes in the South of France, where their achievement was described as "outstanding".

"We were thrilled to receive the award and want to thank not only our team but also our customers for their support since we have been in Shrewsbury.

"It was a big decision for us to move to the town from the south of England - something of a risk - but we have not regretted it and this title is the icing on the cake," Roger said.

"We were marked on a range of features, customer service being the most important element as it included results of a mystery shop.

"Technical knowledge, presentation and marketing, such as community involvement and customer events, were also considered," he added.

Danish company Bang & Olufsen has a worldwide reputation as producing top-of-the-range stylish products, ranging from telephones to home cinema systems.