With so many fantastic restaurants in St Albans this is always one of the most hotly contested categories.

Last year this award went to Verdi’s Trattoria in Clarence Road, presented by Councillor Heidi Allen.

This year the cafes and restaurants section has been split into two separate categories with food and drink now incorporated within specialist shops.

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

Short-listed retailers will be invited to this year’s awards evening which will be held at Club Batchwood  on June 22.

You can enter traders in seven categories of specialist shops; markets trader; cafés; restaurants, hair and beauty and fashion and accessories and St Albans Neighbourhood Centres. This new category is in response to demand from traders for an award for retailers not based within the city centre.

Our STAR award will be handed out to a retailer who goes above and beyond the call of duty and the winners of the 2014 Festive Pub of the Year competition will also receive their trophy.

All nominated retailers will also be sent a window poster and all nominations should be received by midnight on May 8. After this date our team of mystery shoppers will hit the streets, putting each and every retailer to the test.

You can now nominate traders by tweeting our dedicated Retailer of the Year page: @StAlbansROTY . Simply tell us the name of the shop/cafe/restaurant/trader and where they are based.

You can also nominate a retailer via text.  Just text the word ‘retailer’ followed by the name and address of the business to 80360. 

Or you can nominate a retailer by filling out the form in this week’s Review and posting it to the news desk or by emailing your entry to revieweditor@london.newsquest.co.uk

Texts cost 25p plus your normal operator text charge. Text lines open 20/03/2015 and close 08/05/2015 at 23:59PM. Service Provided by Newsquest Media Group. Call 0207 998 0549 for help and advice on phone and mobile services.

Nominations so far:

Specialist Shops:

Tomoka Spirits

Whitehall Galleries

Jigsaw

Flowers Flowers

The Green Kitchen

123 Floor

Marks and Spencers

Charlies (Cobblers in Catherine Street)

Buongiorna Italia

A&C Meats

That Design Store

Iceland

Holland and Barrett

Chloe James

Hair and Beauty

Sarah Lovane Hair

Greys Hair and Beauty

Neals Yard

Wacky Barber

Wilde About Hair

Fashion and Accessories

French Connection

Hobbs

Waterers Menswear

LK Bennett

H&M

Long Tall Sally

D. Copperfield

Market Traders

The Card Stall

Chrissy's Cupcakes

The Golf Stall (Wednesday near Town Hall)

So Cosy (Saturday outside the White Shop)

Tylers Fruit and Veg Stall (Saturday outside Jack Wills, Wednesday outside BHS)

Cup Cake Stall (Wednesday in Market Place)

Cafés

The Pudding Shop

Hatch

The Waffle Shop

Barrisimo

The Courtyard Café

Restaurants

Lussmanns

Wagamamma

Carluccio's

Nando's

Prime

Italiana

La Cosa Nostra

Cote Brasserie

Fishy Delishy

Freddies

Neighbourhood Shops

Mosaic Hair Studio

Lydons, Electrical Repair Shop (opposite the Jolly Sailor)

Funzone Fancy Dress (High Oaks)