Our Retailer of the Year competition is back for 2012 and this year we are celebrating its fifth anniversary.

The event has become a must for every retailer in St Albans City centre.

Last year London Road-based French-Asian restaurant Chez Mumtaj 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.

And if you have missed out on all the excitement of the previous years, now is your chance to put that right.

Next week we will reveal how you can nominate your favourite trader.

Short-listed retailers will be invited to this year’s awards evening, which will again be held at the Alban Arena in June.

Members of the Retailer of the Year committee will also be in St Albans City Centre from 10.30am on Wednesday March 14 to officially launch this year's competition.

The six categories will again be: specialist shops; food and drink; markets trader; restaurants and cafés; hair and beauty and fashion and accessories.

Our STAR award will be handed out to a retailer who goes above and beyond the call of duty and the winners of the 2011 Festive Pub of the Year competition will also receive their trophy.

All nominated retailers will also be sent a window poster.

Our committee – which consists of Labour councillor Roma Mills; Liberal Democrat councillor Melvyn Teare; Tory councillor Salih Gaygusuz; chamber member Sandra Oldfield; civic society member Eric Roberts; council officers Maria Cutler and Charles Baker and former Review editor Martin Buhagiar – will then choose a category winner and an overall winner.