INDEPENDENT stores on Bold Street have been voted top of the shops in a new survey.
And customer satisfaction levels for cafes and restaurants across the city centre are “among the best in the UK”, according to the new findings by mystery shopping company Storecheckers.
'Liverpool’s dining experience has achieved a phenomenal approval rating and is among the
best that we have surveyed in the UK'
On Bold Street, Soul Café scored an impressive100pc for customer satisfaction, while relative newcomers Kasbah got 98.5pc. Italian Club scored 97pc (up 26pc), Tabac - 90pc (up 30pc) and Leaf 90pc (up 31.5pc).
Meanwhile, world foods retailer Matta's was singled out for praise as Liverpool's Best Improved Independent Retailer – going from 45pc last time to almost doubling its score to 88pc this year.
Pic by Stephanie de Leng
There were also 100pc scores on Bold Street for Minskys Hair salon and Andrew Collinge, while Sta Travel and Utilty scored 97.8pc. Bravissimo – 94.4pc, Resurrection – 93.3pc and Dapper on 90.6pc.
The survey was undertaken by the mystery shoppers across the city centre in the first two months of the year, in which a further 100 shops were assessed.
There was a huge rise in those achieving a perfect 100pc - 20 in all (one in four of these 20 also achieved 100pc last time) – and a record 7 out of 10 shops achieving an 80pc or better rating.
They included Rapid Hardware, which closed last month.
Unfortunately chocolate retailer Thornton's and Next were not among them, trailing among the could-do-betters with only 40pc satisfaction. City Central BID, who commissioned the survey, wouldn't tell us who else.
Instead, those businesses that got an 80pc or better rating were all honoured at the 4th annual Mystery Shop awards ceremony, held in The Athenaeum and hosted by Liverpool actor, comedian and writer Neil Fitzmaurice.
Of those assessed across the wider city centre, five restaurants scored 100pc (Bella Italia on Ranelagh Street, Buffalo Jacks in Queen Square, Café Rouge and Carluccio’s in Metquarter, and Soul Café in Bold Street) compared to none in the last survey.
Jeff Caplan, Managing Director of Storecheckers which surveys dozens of cities across Britain, said: ‘’Liverpool’s dining experience has achieved a phenomenal approval rating and is among the best that we have surveyed in the UK.”
Soul Cafe: 100pc score The bars, cafes and restaurants were judged across seven categories from branch appearance to product placement and sales technique. All 30 scored more than 90pc in four sections - arrival and greeting, staff image, quality of drinks and food, and state of environment and toilets.
Only in sales did the business score below par – at an average 68pc.
Storcheckers says a greater push on training in upselling techniques could collectively result in tens of thousands of pounds more being registered at their tills each year.
HEADLINE AWARD WINNERS
Star performer in the main shopping survey was jeweller Milton’s of St Johns Shopping Centre – which received the accolade ‘Store of the Year’for remarkably scoring 100pc for the third year running.
BHS on Lord Street, TM Lewin in Metquarter and The Fragrance Shop, also in St Johns Shopping Centre, all received an Outstanding Achievement Award for hitting 100pc for the past two surveys.
Knees up at the Atheneum
Also singled out for praise was Matta International Foods, the much loved deli on Bold Street, as the Best Improved Independent Retailer – going from 45pc last time to almost doubling its score to 88pc this year.
In the Best Improved category for National Retailers, Timpsons, on Richmond Street, scooped that award by going from a poor 35pc last year to a an outstanding customer service rating of 100pc.
The Best Improved Service Provider was for the team at Thomas Cook, on Church Street, which rose from 57.3pc to a perfect 100pc.
