The finalists of this year’s greeting card retailing awards – affectionately known as The Retas – have been announced and Hamptons in Ludlow Lane, Penarth has been nominated as one of the top card retailers in the Department Store category.

The finalists in all of the categories were chosen as a result of a huge nationwide nomination process where greeting card publishers and agents nominated the retailers who they thought were the best.

Hamptons is competing in the final against four other stores including John Lewis in Oxford Street, London. “We were completely surprised when we heard that not only had we been nominated but that we were competing against stores like John Lewis” said Peter Knowles of Hamptons. “It’s amazing for a small Welsh company to be in the final” he added “and it’s going to be the David and Goliath of the greeting card world.”

The Retas awards, launched in 2005 recognises excellence across the whole retail spectrum, from independents on the high street, to national multiples, garden centres, department stores and supermarkets.

Hamptons, located in Penarth town centre offers collections of greeting cards that shoppers won’t find elsewhere on the high street. Some are humorous, some are sprinkled with glitter and gem stones and they also offer a beautiful range of Welsh language occasion cards.

“We’re constantly sourcing new card suppliers and looking for new designs” said Hamptons co-owner Andy Bradshaw. “Customers at Hamptons have come to expect the best and the most unusual cards. We work really hard to ensure they are surprised and delighted when they visit us to buy cards.”

The winner will be revealed at a glittering awards ceremony at London’s Dorchester Hotel on July 8, attended by almost 400 people from throughout the greeting card industry. In the meantime it will be business as usual at Hamptons where the greeting cards are just possibly the best in the whole of the UK.