Tickets are now on sale for the Retailer of the Year gala awards evening 2014.

Priced at £6, the ticket will include a complimentary glass of wine and food, and you will be treated to an evening packed full of entertainment.

This year the competition has again been backed by generous local businesses.

L'Italiana is sponsoring the overall Retailer of the Year prize.

The Federation of Small Businesses is sponsoring the Cafes and Restaurants category; The Maltings has sponsored Fashion and Accessories; Christopher Place has sponsored the Specialist Shops category and the District Chamber of Commerce will sponsor the STAR award.

Hatch has agreed to sponsor the Hair and Beauty category while Alternative Barbering Co are sponsoring Food & Drink and Waterstones the Markets Trader category.

Raffle prizes have also been provided by Lussmans, Brasserie Blanc, the Body Shop and Pots of Art.

Our mystery shoppers have been busy over the last two weeks and all category winners, including an overall Retailer of the Year, have now been selected. Shortlisted traders will be announced next week.

Tickets for the awards night – which will be held at the Alban Arena on Monday, June 23, are available from the district council's Tourist Information Centre, based at the Town Hall.

The competition is a joint initiative between the Review, St Albans District Council, St Albans Civic Society and St Albans District Chamber of Commerce to raise the profile of independent city centre traders and is now in its seventh year.