And the winner is…....

AIR kissing with Laurel and Hardy – not something you would expect at a typical glitzy awards ceremony….

But at Warrington Market’s MAFTA awards on 7 March there was this and much more!

The Market Awards For Traders’ Adverts are in honour of traders who have recently found fame on their new adverts, filmed especially for brand new plasma TV screens now found around the market.

Over 250 traders, staff and local VIP’s packed into the venue to watch the adverts in a special premiere, before settling down for the official handing-out of the usual gongs for Best Actor/Actress, Best Director and Best Advert.

Marilyn Monroe, along with other ‘celebrities’ was there on the night mingling with the traders and presenting the awards. Amongst the guests was Councillor John Gareth Jones, President Elect of NABMA who had a surprise message from Marilyn Monroe singing “Happy Birthday Mr President” to him, even though it was not his birthday!

No ceremony would be complete without the star-studded after-show party, which saw see the winners celebrate and losers commiserate and plenty of dancing into the night!

All the television adverts made by Market Traders along with the list of winners are now available to view on www.warringtonmarket.co.uk

The new plasma television screens and a new sound system in the market are part of many improvements currently being implemented by the Council. Others to be introduced include upgrading certain areas of the building, a trial scheme offering limited free parking for market customers and the re-launch of the market ‘shopping with confidence’ scheme, which highlights the exceptional customer service offered by market traders.

Steve Pickering, manager of Warrington Markets says, “The awards are a great way of celebrating the hard work of all of our traders, who are completely committed to making the market the best it can be.”

“It has been really difficult to choose who deserves individual awards - all of the adverts of a really high standard!“