THE owners of a popular convenience store have won a prestigious award – just a year after their shop was gutted by a “devastating” fire.

Mayur and Nilam Patel, owners of the Saxon Fields Store, were named Convenience Retailer of the Year for the Southern Region at the National Federation for Retail Newsagents (NFRN) Awards.

The husband and wife pair picked up their gong at a glitzy ceremony, held at the Crown Plaza in Reading on May 12.

The prestigious award, which is selected from hundreds of NRFN members across the south, comes less than 13 months after a large fire ripped through the front of their store.

Following the blaze in April last year, the pair were forced out of business for several months while the store was repaired and refitted.

After a number of delays, the new store was officially opened by then-Mayor Karen Hamilton in December 2016.

The pair have been trading happily at the revamped Saxon Fields Stores ever since.

Talking about the award, Mr Patel said: “I was completely shell-shocked as I never expected to win it.

“We were told about the award out of the blue. They said they were impressed at our hard work after the fire.

“We knew that we were going to be in the final, but to win it is just wow. With where we were and what happened to us, it shows all that hard work and effort we have put in pays off and people have recognised us.”

The annual award is available to NRFN members, who are nominated for the prestigious prize by their area representatives.

The nominees are judged on a long list of categories, which include everything from customer service to the range of products in the store.

A final four are then put forward in each of the four regions, with a winner selected from each.

The four winners from each of the regions, including Mr Patel, will then be put forward to compete at the national awards, due to be held at London’s Lancaster Hotel in November.

Mr Patel, a father-of-two, said: “Getting the award for the south was something else, but to win a national award would be even more of a shock.”

Congratulating the Patels on their award, NFRN National President, Ray Monelle, said: “The judges were really impressed with the Patels’ determination to get Saxon Fields Store up and running again.

"Rising from the ashes is a shop that is welcoming, clean, bright, well stocked and well merchandised.

"Through our awards we seek to reward the very best independent retailers who have made a real impact in their communities and the Patels deserve their Convenience of the Year – Symbol/Franchise crown.”