Peterborough Telegraph Business Excellence Awards 2022: Fashion retailer 'thrilled' at triple success

Staff at leading fashion retailer are celebrating a triple success at the Peterborough Telegraph Business Excellence Awards.

Yours Clothing, based in Bakewell Road, Orton Southgate, and which employs 1,391 people, won trophies for Corporate Social Responsibility award and for the Large Business of the Year, which recognises the exceptional work or a business with a £30 million annual turnover.

And the company’s founder Andrew Killingsworth was named Entrepreneur of the Year – the second time the boss of Yours Clothing has won the award in the last six years.

Afterwards, Mr Killingsworth said: “I was absolutely thrilled. It was tremendous. The awards are really for all of us.

"Winning awards like this is an honour and it does make staff feel very positive and feel part of the company's success.

"There is a nice buzz around the office.”

The awards success, comes just months after Yours Clothing, which includes the brands Curve, Long Tall Sally, BadRhino and Pixie Girl, expanded its operations by buying the 128,567 square feet Orton 130 warehouse next to its current warehouse.

And, as the cost of living crisis tightened its grip, Mr Killingsworth also vowed in the summer not to increase prices during the autumn and winter.

About 250 guests at the business awards, which were held at the Holiday Inn West, in Thorpe Wood, were told by compere Kev Lawrence that: “Yours Clothing has achieved impressive turnover growth of 74 per cent in the last year through its high street stores, concessions with major retailers and a global brand online.

"Yours has sought to establish what needs there are in Peterborough, in particular around the needs of education and young people. It has direc ted significant financial and employee resources to these causes and responding to crisis moments such as the Ukraine Appeal."

Mr Lawrence reminded guests that Mr Killingsworth had ‘started in business by selling clothes on a market store but one day managed to buy some stock of all the wrong sizes - by mistake.’

He said: “Despite the mistake he took the stock to his market stall and much to his surprise it started to sell and word started to spread that clothes to fit the larger lady were on sale.

“Roll forward 30 years and we find the market stall holder still in Peterborough, but running one of the most successful companies in the city - and a brand recognised by many across the country.”

Winners of the PT Business Excellence Awards 2022:

Large Business of the Year: Yours Clothing

Medium Business of the Year: Rapidrop Global Ltd

Small Business of the Year: Henson Crisp

Best New Business/Start up of the Year: Funnel Boost

Employer of the Year: Connections Legal Management

Innovation of the Year: Loaded Bikes

Customer Service Award: Peter's Cleaners

Sustainability Award: Shoplight

Digital/Technology Company of the Year: Clarity Stack

Young Entrepreneur of the Year: Laura Wilson

Business Person of the Year: Andrew Killingsworth

Corporate Social Responsibility Award: Yours Clothing

Thank you to our sponsors:

Headline Sponsor: Azets

Allison Homes

Growthworks

Hegarty LLP Solicitors

Kamarin Computers

Moore

Opportunity Peterborough

Peterborough City Council

Peterborough College, part of Inspire Education Group

Pinnacle House/Wrest Park

Princebuild

Sharp

Yours Clothing