An Irvine jeweller missed out on the biggest night of her career because she was away on a pre-arranged holiday.
Sheila Kerr’s harbourside business was crowned independent jewellery store of the year at the glitzy Scottish Independent Retail Awards in Glasgow.
But the 63-year-old designer was almost 2000 miles away in Portugal, when her name was announced.
Instead her sister collected the award on her behalf before texting her the good news.
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Sheila, who is based in Courtyard Studios, said: “I was having pre-dinner drinks with my husband when the message came through.
“I’d been excited all day but I didn’t quite understand the message at first. When it sank in I just started crying. It didn’t feel real.
“This is the biggest award I’ve had in 10 years in business. I’m usually the runner-up.
“It’s just my luck that it happened when I was on holiday. I booked up ages ago before I found out I was a finalist.
“I couldn’t cancel it. When I realised the dates clashed with the ceremony it was too late.
“Thankfully my sister and her husband could go and they sent me a photo of the trophy.”
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Sheila rates the feat higher than reaching the final six in the National Association of Jewellers designer of the year awards, where she was the only Scottish jeweller represented.
The former lecturer in business management turned her hobby into a business when she opened her Harbour Street shop in April 2008.
She said: “It’s just fantastic to be recognised.”
