Julie Towell has described how the year with has been 12 months after
Ferguson's Delicatessen in Hadleigh won gold in Babergh's High Street Innovation Award .
The category recognised successful implementation of innovative strategies, products, procedures or technology to promote successful trading on the high street and Julie has noticed an increase in business since winning the top prize, of £1,000, which she used in part to give her staff a Christmas bonus.
Ferguson's Deli is a well-established delicatessen within a beautiful historic building situated on the High Street in Hadleigh, stocking a superb range of cheese, antipasti, fresh bread, preserves and pickles supplied by independent companies and where possible, they focus on stocking locally produced foods.
Julie and Ferguson's Deli were nominated for the way they dealt with the initial shock of the first lockdown, offering a lifeline to the residents of the local community of Hadleigh by providing vulnerable people who needed food packages of yummy deli supplies delivered to their home.
As restrictions continued they had to start thinking about how they could do things differently, but still serve the needs of the people of Hadleigh. To do so Ferguson's Deli installed a special open grab-and-go fridge - it was a necessary innovation as customers could no longer stand in the shop and wait while their sandwich was being made to order or queue at the counter to pick up a Cornish pasty.
Julie, the owner of Ferguson's Deli was praised for outstanding Customer Service including her "passion, care for her customers, willingness to help and have a chat with everyone, that marks this business as special. If a customer wants a product, Julie will go to endless lengths to source it".
Julie said: "Since we won the Innovation Award, we have noticed a greater footfall, which we are very grateful for. The money we received, came in very handy as I put it towards my staff's well earned Christmas bonus.
"I did apply for a grant from BMSDC and put it aside as a safety net through the worst of the pandemic, knowing that the costs of all the anti bac, hand sanitiser and spray, masks, screens, etc were going to have an impact on my business.
"It also helped me in the purchase of a new fridge for my grab and go sandwiches. With my prize money and my grant I have been safe, even having enough left for a new till after Christmas.
"We strive to always listen to our customers and change to suit them as much as possible, retaining the old values of customer service."
Although the business has been in Hadleigh since the mid 70's, when local sisters called Ferguson started it, at the top end of the High Street. Since then, it has been owned by, at least four different people.
"Julie said: "We all decided to keep the original name, FERGUSON'S, in memory of the ladies who founded it. It did move to the market square, for a while, but has been in its current place for at least 25 years.
"I came to Ferguson's as staff, 18 years ago, and then decided to buy it in September 2013. Those eight years have flown.
"We have many regular customers, that we love to catch up with and serve their needs, sourcing most things that they require. We also have a large number of regular sandwich customers, of which we try to brighten their lunch break with our produce. We love the old-fashioned personal touch."
Julie described how she was agile enough to handle the lockdowns during the pandemic.
"When Covid hit, I would make up all our customers' orders for them to come and pick up quickly and safely, and with the help of Liz and Iain Wilson we were also able to deliver to those who were more vulnerable.
"I only opened twice a week initially as I was on my own at the beginning of the pandemic, until a friend came in to help me. We brought in essentials like, sugar, flour, yeast and the elusive pasta.
When restrictions eased my staff returned and we opened every day but with shorter hours, adopting a grab and go system for our sandwich customers.
"We also limited the number of people in the store to two customers at a time so there were no uncomfortable queues for people to stand in."
The High Street Innovation Award was sponsored by Central Suffolk Chamber of Commerce and Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils.
