Soul Cafe best eating place in mystery shopper oscars

SOUL Cafe has been crowned the city centre's best eating place in a mystery shopping “oscars”. 

The Bold Street cafe scored 100 per cent for customer satisfaction for the second year running, in a survey commissioned by Liverpool Business Improvement District.

Other near neighbours Cafe Tabac and Matta's notched up full marks too, with Utility being named the city centre's best independent retailer.

The Mystery Shopper Awards for 2013 were held last night at the Athenaeum and presented by comic Neil Fitzmaurice. 

Two shops singled out for special praise at the ceremony were T.M. Lewin in Metquarter and Hooka in the Cavern Quarter, the only retailers to score 100 per cent for the second year running. 

BID says customer satisfaction levels in Liverpool city centre have reached an all-time high. 

A total of 140 stores – from independent cafes to national chains - scored an average 86.6 per cent approval rating, up 4 per cent when the survey last took place at the end of 2012.

Of those secretly assessed for the 5th annual survey undertaken by Storecheckers, 30 businesses scored full marks compared to 22 in the last survey.

Bill Addy, Chief Executive of Liverpool BID Company, said: ‘’Providing excellent customer service is critical to the success of any business and it is extremely encouraging to see those in Liverpool city centre are providing an exceptionally high standard to their customers.’’ 

The Most Improved National and Independent retailers, Wilkinson and Giancarlo Ricci, both saw their score rise by over 50 percent from the last assessment.

In the dining section, 30 cafes and restaurants were assessed and achieved an average 89.7 percent score. Soul Café on Bold Street achieved the unique distinction of being the only eating place to achieve 100 percent for the 2nd year running.

Signature Café won Most Improved for seeing its score rise by more than 20 percent on the previous year.