Argos sweeps the board at the Retail Week Awards ceremony

Catalogue store group Argos was crowned Retailer of the Year at this year's Retail Week Awards.

The retailer's all-round excellence was cemented by wins in three other categories - Marketing Campaign, Multi-Channel Retailer and Technology Solution.

The awards were presented in front of nearly 1,700 retailers at a black-tie dinner at the Grosvenor House Hotel on Monday night.

Dixons founder Sir Stanley Kalms became the first recipient of Retail Week's Lifetime Achievement Award and, in his acceptance speech, hit out at European bureaucrats and the Chancellor's 'stealth taxes'.

Tycoon Philip Green was again voted Retail Personality of the Year. Kent's Bluewater centre was hailed as Retail Destination of the Year.

Oasis' Coast chain won the Rising Star award. Fast fashion retailer Zara was voted International Retailer of the Year.

A passionate commitment to its staff secured Retail Employer of the Year for Timpson, while Vodafone won the Customer Service award.

Selfridges' homage to Indian film '23 1/ 2 days of Bollywood' won In-store Promotion of the Year, and Store Design went to Waitrose's Canary Wharf store.

In the hotly contested Store Manager of the Year category, Stuart Cavallero of Marks & Spencer at Pudsey in West Yorkshire, won the large store category.

Kelvin Reddicliffe of Timpson in Newport, scooped the small store accolade.

Sainsbury's Hazel Grove store scooped the Retail Launch of the Year award at the event, which was held in association with Kurt Salmon Associates.