20-02-2025
Island newsagent "thrilled" after bagging national award
A COWES Newsagent has become the second Isle of Wight store to win Yodel's 'Store of The Quarter' award for outstanding service levels.
Blakes News beat competition from the Deliver to Yodel Store network of over 7,000 newsagents, convenience stores, petrol stations, and supermarkets nationwide, having handled nearly 4,000 parcels in the last quarter.
The store had an outstanding five star average rating from Yodel's in-house Have Your Say customer feedback survey.
The Cowes store has been at the heart of the local community since Amanda and her partner Phil opened the shop in 2006 and now run the store as a family business including their daughter, Courtney.
Read more: Popular Isle of Wight newsagents win national Yodel award
Amanda Belt, store owner, said: 'We're thrilled to have been recognised as the latest Store of the Quarter. It really is a testament to how close we are as a community and as a team here at Blakes News.
'Being a part of the Deliver to Yodel Store network has been a huge boost to our business; it's really driving footfall and allowing us to provide an essential service to those living nearby. It has been a pleasure seeing the store become a vibrant community hub.'
Yodel has recently seen customer-to-customer volumes surge as a result of a rise in people buying and selling on second-hand marketplaces like Vinted and eBay. Thanks to its network of shops across the country, parcel senders and recipients alike are never far from a pick-up or drop-off point.
Liam Rogan, the out of home Director, said: 'This award represents the dedication and hard work of Blakes News and their commitment to excellence and customer satisfaction. At Yodel, we want to celebrate the partners who help us to deliver reliable and efficient parcel services nationwide, and are committed to supporting and celebrating the continuous outstanding efforts in the Isle of Wight.'
Last May, Farnsworth's in Nodehill, Newport, received the 'Store of the Quarter' award, in recognition of its outstanding customer support and service to the local community.
