A PENARTH cheese shop and deli is competing against 42 other retailers in The Guild of Fine Food's annual Shop of the Year awards.

Fauvette, based in Glebe Street, is on the 2018 shortlist for the awards and is running for the Best Specialist Cheese Shop.

The shop stocks from 80 to 120 different types of cheeses, 70 per cent of which are English and 10 per cent which are Welsh.

Co-owner Philippa Friedman, who runs the store with Jean-Marc Delys, said she is delighted Fauvette is in the running for the awards.

"It's a great accreditation to have," she said. "We have our fingers crossed. We already know someone who has one of the awards.

"We have a lot of support from Penarth and it would be great to have this. Our customers know us well and we have our regulars that come in. People in Penarth want to shop local which is something we are keen to promote."

Having had a written entry reviewed by a panel of respected industry experts, Fauvette will now undergo two further rounds of judging this summer; an announced visit from one of the judges and a mystery shop by Shopper’s Anonymous.

Previously forming part of the Great Taste accreditation scheme, Shop of the Year has evolved to apply a rigorous judging process dedicated solely to retail. Celebrating delis, farm shops, cheesemongers and more, Shop of the Year offers independent retailers a chance to achieve a stamp of approval with integrity.

From overall shopping experience and financial performance to staff training opportunities and environmental initiatives in place, the panel of judges, which includes Edward Berry of The Flying Fork, Stuart Gates, who has worked for both Harrods and Fortnum & Mason, award-winning retailer Tracey Colley and Georgina Mason from Gonalston Farm Shop, will rate, score and feedback on every aspect of the shops before agreeing on an overall category winner.

On Thursday, September 20, Shop of the Year 2018 will reach an exciting finale when the world of fine food gathers at No. 42 Southwark Street, the Guild of Fine Food’s London base, to find out the winners of Best Delicatessen; Best Farm Shop or Garden Centre with Food Hall; Best Grocer, Village or Community Shop; and Best Specialist Cheese Shop.

For more information about Fauvette, search Fauvette on Facebook and/or Twitter.