Popular shop in Scots town wins BEST store name in the UK
One person travelled all the way from New Zealand to visit the shop
'DELIGHTED' Popular shop in Scots town wins BEST store name in the UK
A SCOTTISH shop called Dae It Yersel has won a competition to find the best shop name in Britain.
The DIY store in Dunoon in Argyll and Bute fought off competition from 2,200 other small firms across the country.
2
The Dae It Yersel shop has been revealed to have the best shop name in Britain
2
The shop is located in Dunoon, in Argyll and Bute
Credit: Alamy
It saw off challenges to the title and the £2,500 top prize from landscape gardening firm Back To The Fuchsia in Bromley and Balti Towers in Halesowen, West Midlands.
Co-owner Helena McLay said: 'Dae it Yersel has been family-owned since my mother, father and then-20-year-old brother took over a tiny wee DIY shop in 1970.
'I've been around the shop since I was three, and used to spend my after-school hours and school holidays here.
'The name is obviously the Glaswegian/Scots version of 'Do It Yourself'.
'We couldn't be more delighted to have won."
She said that loads of tourists took photos of the shop, and that one person travelled all the way from New Zealand to visit her shop.
The annual competition, put on by insurance firm Simply Business, found that 51 per cent of folk in a poll of 2,000 Brits said a witty shop name attracted them to shops.
Harpreet Kaur, entrepreneur and winner of BBC's The Apprentice in 2022, helped judge the competition.
She said: 'It was so heartening to see the character woven into every single small business name we judged, reflecting the passion and dedication of the thousands of entrepreneurs who entered.
'Dae It Yerself should be incredibly proud to have won the public vote; it's a testament to their unique appeal and the genuine connection they've built with their local community."
Unassuming corner shop was seen by millions on classic 70s sitcom - but would you recognise it?
Staff at Dae it Yersel shared the exciting news with followers on social media this week.
The post on Facebook read: "Thank you all so much for your votes. A privilege to serve you all".
And loyal customers flocked to the comments to congratulate the team on their win.
Full list of top ten finalists
The final top 10 were as follows: Dae It Yersel - DIY shop in Dunoon Back To The Fuchsia - Landscape gardners in Bromley Balti Towers - Kashmiri restaurant in Halesowen Damsel in This Dress - Seamstress in Harlech, Wales Lawn and Order - Garden care, Watford Pietanic - Food truck in Birmingham So Bee It - Honey farm in Lancashire The Fast and the Furriest - Dog trainer and walker, Dundee The Jobfather - Handyman, Ardingly, Sussex The NoBody Inn - Pub and B&B, Exeter
One person said: "Congratulations, always enjoy a trip to Dae it Yersel with your friendly, helpful staff."
Another added: "Wonderful and magnificently well-deserved. A Dunoon treasure!"
Someone else wrote: "One of the best small businesses in Britain."
While a fourth shared: "Well Done. Best name ever. Congratulations".
And fifth chimed in: "Congratulations, brilliant name and brilliant shop!"
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scottish Sun
5 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Sir David Murray vows to save Dalzell steel mill as he reveals masterplan
SIR David Murray vowed to be a 'big customer' of Dalzell steel mill if his masterplan to save it becomes reality. The ex-Rangers owner and metal magnate, 73, says he is ready to play a major role in providing Scottish steel for North Sea wind turbines to power the nation's future energy. 4 Sir David Murray vowed to be a 'big customer' of Dalzell steel mill Credit: Andrew Barr 4 The plant in Motherwell is currently mothballed due to cheap Chinese steel imports and a drought in orders Credit: Getty 4 Some 140 workers were furloughed or placed on maintenance duties in April this year Credit: Reuters 4 New Liberty owner Sanjeev Gupta with Nicola Sturgeon Credit: Alan Ewing The plant in Motherwell is currently mothballed due to cheap Chinese steel imports and a drought in orders, with some 140 workers furloughed or placed on maintenance duties in April this year. Sir David has been in talks with Holyrood ministers for a decade over halting the industry's decline. He has now revealed he has held hush-hush negotiations with the UK Government to rescue the mill. His latest intervention comes after PM Sir Keir Starmer and Scottish Secretary Ian Murray blasted SNP ministers in May for allowing the nation's last remaining steel plants — Dalzell and Clydebridge in Cambuslang — to cease production. The Scottish Government orchestrated a takeover of the sites in 2016, putting taxpayers' cash on the line. And Sir Keir insisted last month it was important to 'get those plants up and running again'. Now Sir David has told The Scottish Sun on Sunday: 'There is a lot of political stuff going on over Dalzell. I've been heavily involved in trying to save the plate mill. 'I have spoken to the British Government in the last week and there's a meeting in a few weeks' time. 'The workforce has stayed at home for months and got 80 per cent of their wages. But it could be sorted in a week. We need people in management to work with me. 'I'd be the chairman, I'd help the management, I'd help the business, we'd be a big customer. Former Rangers owner Sir David Murray vows to save Dalzell steel mill with masterplan 'At the time it closed, I was one of its biggest customers. 'At our peak we'd be selling 550,000 tonnes of steel a year. 'That's five Forth rail bridges in weight. Today it's just over one because the fabrication business is diminishing — it's ridiculous that Britain does not have the capacity to roll a steel plate.' Sir David told how there is one mill in the north-east of England which is Ukrainian-owned. He went on: 'The wind turbines being made for the North Sea are much bigger now. 'It's a heavier plate, ideal for Dalzell. There are 50,000 tonnes of steel coming to Teesside this week from Korea to be made into turbines. 'The Scottish Government don't own one wind turbine. Look at the cost of energy. We are buying power from other people who put in these turbines. We need to create growth, jobs and prosperity in this country.' We told last July of fears the Dalzell operation would be mothballed amid a slowdown in work. A report in March by the Community Union, which represents workers at the two plants, said low-cost steel from China and high UK energy prices were hitting British steel production. The union said Dalzell needed investment to become a 'world-leading producer' of a key turbines component. Sir David has long called for an inquiry into the Scottish Government's involvement in the 2016 sale of the Lanarkshire plants to tycoon Sanjeev Gupta and Liberty Steel. The sale was backed by a £7million loan from Scottish Enterprise. MURRAY'S HEART SCARE OP EXCLUSIVE by Rodger Hannah SIR David Murray has lifted the lid on a secret heart op after he was diagnosed with a potentially-fatal medical condition. The businessman fell ill shortly before selling Rangers to Craig Whyte in 2011 — to be told he had an aortic aneurysm. He revealed: 'I was driving home over the Forth Road Bridge and I thought I was having a heart attack. I went into Dunfermline Hospital. I had a scan. It's basically your main blood vessel and the aneurysm makes it expand. 'If it bursts, you've got about half an hour.' Sir David believes the pressure of Rangers' financial issues and the global recession could have contributed to his health scare. He added: 'They told me I needed an operation, which I had in Edinburgh Royal Infirmary. 'I shared the information with Craig Brown a few years ago. 'He had an identical thing. His burst but they managed to get him in on time.' Former Scotland manager Brown needed life-saving surgery in 2020. He told the Scottish Sun at the time: 'They say only about three out of ten survive it.' Brown died in 2023 aged 82. But Sir David claims ministers rejected his rival bid because it was potentially incompatible with state aid rules, and has criticised Mr Gupta's management since. He said: 'Ten years ago, I met the Scottish Government and the First Minister [Nicola Sturgeon]. I put a proposal to them and I was told they couldn't do it because they couldn't give state aid. 'Then they lent somebody else £7million who hasn't paid it back.' Mr Gupta, executive chairman of GFG Alliance which owns Liberty Steel, is being prosecuted by Companies House for failing to file accounts for more than 70 companies listed in Britain. He denies any wrongdoing. Ayr-born Sir David spoke exclusively ahead of this Thursday's July publication of his autobiography 'Mettle: Tragedy, Courage and Titles. He remains chair of his family firm, Murray Capital Group, albeit his son, also David, runs day-to-day operations as managing director. He reveals in his new book that some of his teenage grandkids have already attended board meetings. He added: 'There is an opportunity for young people but you better come to the table with a skill. 'You're not coming, as my great friend Sean Connery said, as a member of The Lucky Sperm Club.' The UK Government confirmed Sir David had met with MP Ian Murray. A source said: 'David Murray has met Ian Murray to discuss his concerns about the Dalzell works being mothballed because the SNP cut a bad deal. We encourage the SNP Government to take advantage of the trade deals the UK Labour Government has cut and the industrial strategy which present a huge opportunity for Scottish steel.' Liberty Steel declined to comment. The Scottish Government said its 2016 intervention 'sustained over 100 jobs at Dalzell and retained steelmaking capacity in Scotland.' Scottish Enterprise confirmed: 'We remain in discussion with Liberty Steel regarding repayment of the loan funding.'
Scotsman
6 hours ago
- Scotsman
400% surge in ‘Cheap Food' searches in Aberdeen highlights cost of living strain
Aberdeen has seen a staggering 400% surge in searches for 'cheap food', placing it second in the UK and highest in Scotland according to new research. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The analysis conducted by Peak Waste, looked at year-on-year changes in average monthly Google searches for the term 'cheap food'. While Oxford topped the list with a 600% increase, Aberdeen followed in second place with a 400% surge. Salford placed third with a 300% rise. Location Percentage Increase YOY Oxford 600% Aberdeen 400% Salford 300% Manchester 200% Bath 200% Kingston upon Hull 200% Nottingham 100% Warrington 100% Bournemouth 100% York 100% The data reflects rising concern over food affordability and financial strain across the UK, with Scottish cities also reporting significant increases. Glasgow saw an 80% rise in searches and Edinburgh a 56% increase, underlining growing pressure across urban Scotland. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Woman looking at receipt when shopping for groceries Location Percentage Increase YOY Aberdeen 400% Glasgow 80% Edinburgh 56% Local organisations are seeing the effects on the ground. CFINE (Community Food Initiatives North East) distributed 38,205 emergency food parcels during 2023/24 in Aberdeen, following 35,307 parcels in 2022–23, with demand continuing to rise into 2025. The cost-of-living crisis continues to hit households across Scotland, with rising grocery prices, rent increases, and energy bills contributing to mounting financial pressure, prompting more people to seek affordable food options online. Speaking on the findings Martin Firth from Peak Waste said: 'This surge in searches for 'cheap food' is not just a trend, it's a red flag. 'When a city like Aberdeen sees a 400% surge, it highlights the growing divide between rising living costs and stagnant incomes. 'This data underscores the urgent need for systemic solutions, not just community larders and foodbanks, but real policy action that addresses food insecurity at its root.'
Glasgow Times
6 hours ago
- Glasgow Times
Millions of Brits risk losing over £500 from bank account
According to reports, millions of Brits are flushing away over £500 a year by leaving their cash rotting in low-interest 'zombie' bank accounts. New research reveals more than half of UK savers are hoarding their hard-earned cash in zero-interest current accounts. The research, by Opinium for Hargreaves Lansdown, found 56 per cent of savers are putting money in accounts that give them absolutely nothing back – a 20 per cent rise from last year. Oil prices begin to stabilise — Hargreaves Lansdown (@HLInvest) June 26, 2025 67 per cent of 18–34-year-olds admit to stashing savings in current accounts, rather than moving them to proper savings pots. 81 per cent of higher-rate taxpayers and 83 per cent of investors are also making the same mistake. £297bn is currently held in accounts earning no interest – up by about a fifth in a year. £3,365 is the average amount held in current accounts, rising to £10,180 for the highest earners. £114 is what the average saver loses in spending power after one year at 3.5% inflation, or £344 for higher earners. Researchers calculated that if you had the average of £3,365 savings in a current account, and inflation was running at 3.5%, after a year, your money would have the same buying power as £3,251 today – so it would have lost £114 of spending power. But if you moved the cash to a competitive easy-access account, you could earn a return that's higher than inflation. Recommended reading: Sarah Coles, personal finance boss at Hargreaves Lansdown, said: 'You don't have to transfer cash from another account in order to spend it, you just spend as normal – and find yourself eating away at your savings." Ms Coles said: 'With inflation around 3.5%, a household holding £3,365 in a zero-interest account would lose £114 in spending power in just one year.' Those sitting on £10,180 would lose £344 annually – and over five years, £3,365 could shrink by £532. She added: 'These sites let you track everything in one place – and snap up the best rates without drowning in paperwork."
