Gallery in running for top gong

Alison Bartram at Heart Gallery, Hebden Bridge.

Market Street now has the chance to win a share of a prize pot of £100,000 if successful in the Small Market Town category.

And there was more good news when it was announced that Heart Gallery, which has been on Market Street for ten years, has also been shorlisted in the awards.

The contemporary art, jewellery and craft gallery is listed alongside the Artery in Banbury and Fleetwood Beach Kiosk in Lancashire as one of the top three in the digital category for the most social media-savvy independent shop.

It was chosen by Twitter UK as one of the best independent shops using social media to drive footfall to their high street.

Alison Bartram, owner of Heart Gallery said feels blessed to have been recognised.

She said: “As a small business owner, running a successful gallery, I have to wear many hats on a daily basis. The social media hat is one of my favourites and it plays such an important role.

“Small independent shops like myself don’t have budgets for advertising so this is one of the most effective ways of reaching our audience and it’s fun too.

“I’m so proud to be shortlisted for this award, which I hope will raise awareness of the great work being done digitally in Hebden Bridge to boost our local businesses and the high street.

“Collaboration is key to our continued success.

“Social media is a great way to connect with customers, other businesses and the local community, and being shortlisted for this award shows that we are doing this creatively.”

Between now and November you can cast your vote by sending a tweet using the hashtag #BestGBTwittershop and @HeartGallery.

You an only vote via Twitter for Heart Gallery and should it win, the gallery will receive £1,000 of advertising credit, as well as a trip to Twitter UK’s London office to help boost digital skills even further.

Director of Strategic Innovation at Twitter UK, Dan Biddle said: Digital skills are so important for small businesses so if you love your local shop and think it’s worthy of this brand new award, get voting.”