A Northamptonshire based cookshop has this month been announced as a contender in the Excellence in Housewares Awards 2015.

Abraxas Cookshop, which is based in the Heart of the Shires shopping village, Weedon, has been nominated in the ‘Excellence in Specialist Retailing – Multiples and Large Independents’ category.

The category, which is sponsored by Nespresso, seeks to shine the spotlight on multiple and large independent retailers for their retailing excellence. Abraxas Cookshop have been nominated alongside well-known kitchenware brand Lakeland, and Livstil, Lords, and Steamer Trading.

The Excellence in Housewares Awards, now in their 16th year, are organised by Progressive Housewares magazine in conjunction with the Cookshop and Housewares Association. The winners of this year’s awards will be announced at an Awards ball in London on October 7th.

Jo Howard, editor of Progressive Housewares magazine comments: “The Excellence in Housewares Awards are widely recognised as the ‘Oscars’ for the housewares industry. These coveted awards reflect the high standards and creativity of our industry.”

The first Abraxas Cookshop was opened in the Heart of the Shires shopping village in 1996, and the company has since expanded to open shops in Rugby, Banbury and Northampton town centre. The cookshops stock a range of high-end kitchenware brands, including Emma Bridgewater, Le Creuset, Salter and Cuisinart.

Gail Cleland, site manager at Heart of the Shires comments on the nomination: “We were really pleased to hear that Abraxas has been nominated for such a prestigious award. The company has been based at Heart of the Shires for nearly 20 years, and has built a solid reputation in the area as the company to turn to for the best kitchenware products, with brilliant service.”

Abraxas Cookshop is finalist in Excellence in Housewares Awards 2015