Independent Shop of the Year 2023
What an honour to be voted Independent Shop of the year by the people of Southend and Leigh on Sea!
We were blown away by the comments accompanying our nominations, including;
- “the epitome of an independent shop, deserving of the independent shop of the year award”.
- ”’provides unparalleled services to the cycling community”
- as well as several comments about our training and education services and affordability aims.
Thank you so much to our anonymous supporters for your kind words 😊
Essex Bants
Anna Firth, local MP for Southend West, visited Matt and Womble at the workshop to present the award and try out a few bikes.
The next day, The Echo published an article with an unfortunate spelling error. Whilst they quickly corrected it, there didn’t get in there quite quick enough to avoid a few jokes. The puns in the comments section are well worth a minute or two of your time. See the article here.
No Competition – Only Community
We were stunned and honoured to learn that On The Brakes received more than double the number of votes of any other nominee for this year’s award. Especially given the calibre of the other businesses nominated. If you’re local you should definitely check out the other fantastic nominees and support local small businesses with some of your pennies!
Phablous Cafe – Leigh Road – Part of the charity Phab Life, the cafe is a training centre for people with disabilities. It provides people with the opportunity to gain experience and confidence in a supportive setting. Trainees and volunteers learn a variety of practical and social skills that will make them an asset to any workforce.
Off Broadway Restaurant – Glendale Gardens – Absolutely beautiful food right around the corner from us here at the workshop. Check out their google reviews 👌🏼
Argosy Toys – London Road – infamous local independent toy shop Argosy Toys is one of the oldest independent toy shops in the UK, having been trading since 1947. Pay them a visit in store if you’re local or order online. If you don’t want to lose it, you gotta use it!
Furry Dogmothers – Bridgewater Drive – We’ve heard nothing but good things about these lovely groomers not far from the workshop. If our little resident scruffbag Womble ever needs a proper groom, this is where we’ll be going!
Other nominees were listed on Anna Firth’s webpage but unfortunately we don’t have the full list. If you were a nominee, get in touch and let us know!
Matt’s Musings
What a fabulous second birthday present to the workshop! (and almost sixth birthday to the business overall)
I’ve got a fantastic client base and the support from the cycling community and my family has been overwhelming over the past five years. Starting a small business can be stressful, but the support has been incredible.
I love giving back to the community when I can, so look out for more free training and other local events, or get in touch if you want to talk about an idea.
Much love,
Matt