THE TOP of Dorchester's shops will be announced at an awards ceremony on Friday.

Suspense has been building ahead of the awards being handed out for the Dorchester Independent Retail Awards Competition 2015.

The competition is in its first year and aims to celebrate the county town's independent retailers.

A total of 37 independent business in the town centre have signed up to the competition, which is funded by Dorchester BID (Business Improvement District) and Dorchester Chamber of Commerce and sponsored by David Upshall Insurance Services, Humphries Kirk and Kingston Maurward College.

The awards ceremony is being held at Kingston Maurward and will see Lord Fellowes of West Stafford presenting the awards.

The winners will be announced across six categories with an award for best customer service, best window display, best use of social media and website and best newcomer.

There will also be an overall winner and best individual member of staff.

Independent retailers were encouraged to sign up and join the free initiative and have been visited by mystery shoppers in recent weeks from competition organisers Spotcheckers Retail.

Mandy Payne from Spotcheckers said there was plenty of anticipation ahead of the announcement of the winners on Friday.

She said: "There has been some really good winners.

"There are some good quality retailers in Dorchester and it's great to be able to showcase them like this."

Mandy added that she was impressed with the number of businesses taking part in the competition.

She said: "What we are trying to do is encourage more footfall in the town and get people to come and shop in these shops."

The 37 shops taking part are: Wedding Time, Fantasy Flowers, Great Western Camping, Fusion Lighting, Frederick Mabb, Dorchester Hair Studios, Choccylulu, Yo Jive, Owen and Simpson, The Potting Shed, Taste, Sproston & Bowden, Shoetrees Accessories, Quayside Leather, Hiho Silver, Goldcrest Jewellers, Dorchester Mobility, Dorchester Aquatics, County Town Butchers, County Shoes, Blue Wizard Tattoo, Babybirds, Every Cloud, Dorchester Travel, Planet Games, Mirari Lingerie, Mellbury Gallery, I buy and sell jewellers, Gould’s Homeware, Gould’s Fashion Store, Figure 8, Direct Moves, Buy Specs Direct, Box of Porcelain, Blundell Shoes, The Pet Shop and Dodgson’s.