An independent gift shop has won a national small business award just days after it was honoured in another industry ceremony.
Co-owners of Maybugs gift shop Greg Rose and John Dale were delighted to receive the prestigious High Street Hero award during a presentation at the Small Awards in London.
The pair were up against seven other businesses from across the UK, which are all said to contribute to their community and boost business in the area.
TV presenter Sue Perkins and Dan Welch from TSB Business Banking presented the award to them for their three stores in Hailsham, Eastbourne and Bexhill during the ceremony on May 18.
Greg said: "We are just gobsmacked to have won the High Street Hero award. To be recognised as the best independent high street business in the UK for all the community work we do is amazing.
"When we set up Maybugs six years ago, we could never dreamt of winning such an important accolade and it drives us to grow Maybugs and build further on its success."
The business was set up in 2018 and stocks a number of homeware items and gifts, with a spokesman for the company saying it is "underpinned by supporting local communities".
The award comes just seven days after Maybugs was given Best Retailer Initiative award at The Greats, a gift industry award ceremony recognising outstanding retailers across the country.
John said: "We’ve always believed that we can only be successful if the towns in which we are in are successful too, and we will continue to keep promoting all the independents local to our stores to benefit the towns as a whole.”
The branches of Maybugs, in Hailsham's Vicarage Field Shopping Centre, Terminus Road in Eastbourne and Devonshire Road in Bexhill employ 15 people in total.
The High Street Hero Award is sponsored by bank TSB.
Adeel Hyder, business banking director at TSB said: “Businesses like Maybugs bring character to our local communities and help fuel their success.
“It is well known how much small businesses contribute to their local communities but generally they are not recognised.
"This is a fantastic opportunity to put smaller businesses like Maybugs, who have an outsized impact and power our local economies, in the spotlight."
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here