The best off-licences from around the country were recognised on Monday, January 12th at the National Off-Licence of the Year Awards 2009. Presented by the National Off-Licence Association (NOffLA)  the awards featured twice as many finalists as ever before.

11 overall Awards were presented on the night with the much sought after National Off-Licence of the Year 2009 accolade, presented by John Creedon, to Gibneys of Malahide. In addition, all 51 finalists were awarded certificates of either ‘Standard’, ‘Merit’ and ‘Excellence’ based on their performance.  

The awards are held by NOffLA annually to recognise those off-licences around the country that offer exceptional service to customers and demonstrate excellence in retail standards.

According to NOffLA Chairman, Jim McCabe, the awards have been of the highest standard to date; “The standard this year really has been outstanding, particularly with regards to product knowledge and customer service. It hasn’t been an easy year for the industry so our members have really had to raise the bar and get a better understanding of exactly what the customer wants. It’s evident from the judges’ feedback that they have been doing just that.”

The awards were held in the prestigious surrounds of the Honourable Society of King’s Inns, Dublin, where the 51 finalists from around Ireland gathered for the final stage of the judging process, comprising a blind-tasting conducted by Joe Coyle of Gilbeys of Ireland.  

Marks were also awarded for key criteria including overall appearance, hygiene, product range, customer service and product knowledge.  Judging began in July 2008, a tough but rewarding journey for all of this year’s award winners.   

Jim McCabe continues; “The Awards are well recognised by industry and by the general public so will go a long way to demonstrating the quality offered by our finalists.”

WINNERS