Our mystery shoppers have been pounding the streets of St Albans for weeks putting all nominated traders to the test.

With that process completed the Retailer of the Year committee met last week to select the six short-listed traders in each category.

All will be invited to the 2015 Retailer of the Year gala awards dinner which will be held at Club Batchwood on Monday, June 22.

Tickets are also now on sale for the event. Priced at £6 they can be purchased at the Tourism Information Centre which is in the Town Hall, in Market Place, St Albans.

Last year Greys Hairdressing in Christopher Place scooped the overall prize.

The competition is a joint initiative between the Review, St Albans District Council, St Albans Civic Society and St Albans District Chamber of Commerce.

The short-listed traders for the 2015 Retailer of the Year Awards are:

Hair and Beauty

• Greys Hairdressing, Christopher Place

• Sanrizz, The Maltings, St Albans

• Sarah Iovane, London Road

• The Alternative Barbering Co. George Street

• Wacky Barber, Verulam Road

• Wilde About Hair, French Row

Cafes

• Barrisimo, St Peters Street

• Canteen, George Street

• Courtyard Café, Hatfield Road

• Hatch, The Maltings

• The Waffle House St Michaels

• West Cornwall Cornish Pasty Co. Market Place

Restaurants

• Bar Espresso, Victoria Street

• Cote, High Street

• Dylans, George Street

• Fishy Delishy, Catherine Street

• Lussmanns, Waxhouse Gate

• Nando’s, Chequer Street

Fashion & Accessories

• D. Copperfield, Chequer Street

• H & M, The Maltings

• Hobbs, Christopher Place

• Jigsaw, St Peters Street

• Long Tall Sally, George Street

• Waterers, The High Street

Market Traders

• Card Stall Sisters

• Chrissy’s Cupcakes

• Poulters Fish

• So Cosy

• Sycamore Wholefoods

• Tylers fruit and veg

Specialist Shops

• A & C Meats, Catherine Street

• Addiktion Cycles, Victoria Street

• Chaos City Comics, Heritage Close

• Chloe James, High Street

• That Design Store, Market Place

• Tomoko Spirits, Christopher Place

Neighbourhood Shops

• Chestnut Professional Hairdressers, High Oaks

• Funzone, High Oaks

• Mosaic, Marshalswick

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

The Federation of Small Businesses is sponsoring the Specialist Shops category; The Maltings has sponsored Fashion and Accessories; Christopher Place has sponsored Hair and Beauty, Chantilly Interiors has sponsored Market Traders and the Dressing Room will sponsor the Restaurants category.

The District’s Chamber of Commerce will sponsor the STAR award and St Albans Civic Society this year’s Festive Pub and Festive Shop Window awards.