A Wimborne shop trounced Harrods and John Lewis at an award ceremony held in London.

Salamander Cookshop won the category of Excellence in Retail Training at the Excellence in Housewares awards.

Owners David and Ione Crossley, who took over the shop in 2019, put this recognition down to their commitment to training.

David Crossley said: “We came to the retail sector from education and ran our own training consultancy helping to develop school leaders and teachers to raise achievement. Quite simply, as lifelong learners, great training is part of our DNA. With this background, a focus on learning about the cookware industry and its products was a natural for us and it still is.”

Ione Crossley said: “We believe we best serve our customers by offering genuine product knowledge and expertise as well as great customer service. We’ve developed an induction manual and take every member of staff through the shop in sections so they can really get under the skin of what we sell – how it works, where it comes from, its benefits and features.”

Staff also undergo online training with suppliers and leading cookware specialists as well as attending workshops and visits to places such as the Le Creuset demonstration kitchen in Andover.

Salamander was also a finalist in the Retail Initiative Category for its innovative approach in bringing cookware to life.

David Crossley said: “It all began by working closely with the previous owner during handover. We build relationships with suppliers and their experts; give in-store training for staff and demonstrations for customers. During Covid, we held virtual cooking competitions and even personal shopping sessions on Zoom.”

The shop now runs a series of popular cooking events, one of which recently featured Maggie Richardson, a contestant from last year’s Great British Bake Off. It also hosts Wimborne Food Walks in conjunction with other businesses in the town.

The cookshop also won a Good Retailing Award in 2021 for its accessible website, effective use of IT and its creative newsletter which goes out regularly to over 800 subscribers.

This approach to retail was also rewarded when it won Best Use of Digital Innovation at the inaugural Wimborne Business Awards earlier this year.