Runner Up at Top Garage 2025: Shaw's in the National Finals
Top Garage is one of the most rigorous independent garage competitions in the UK. Shaw's reached the national finals in the Multi Site category, competed against some of the country's most well-established garage groups, and placed in the top two.
Shaw’s was named Runner Up in the Multi Site category at Top Garage 2025.
It is worth explaining what that actually means — what the competition is, who else made the finals, and why reaching that stage matters.
What Top Garage is
Top Garage is one of the longest-running independent garage competitions in the UK — now in its 24th year. It is run by the publishers of the UK’s leading independent garage trade press and is widely regarded as one of the most serious independent benchmarks available to a garage business.
It is not a voting competition. You cannot enter by asking customers to click a button. The competition runs in multiple rounds:
- An initial round of technical and business knowledge questions, completed online within a strict time limit
- A further assessment round for shortlisted garages
- A final-day interview at Delphi Academy in Warwick, with a panel of industry judges, lasting up to 45 minutes — where finalists are put under sustained scrutiny on how the business actually operates
The judges examine technical standards, business processes, customer handling, management, training, and how consistently everything holds together when experienced people look properly at what you do. There is no script to hide behind.
The finalists in the Multi Site category
The official Top Garage 2025 finalists in the Multi Site category.
The Multi Site category recognises garages operating more than one workshop. Running two or more sites consistently — maintaining standards, managing people, delivering the same quality across locations — is a different operational challenge from running a single garage.
The other finalists in the category were CCM, IN’n’OUT Autocentres, Marquis Exeter, The Motor Company PPS Limited and Tyre King Autocentres.
That is a strong field. Several of those businesses operate significantly more sites than Shaw’s and have been in the competition before. Getting to the finals and placing runner up from that lineup is not a soft result.
What it means in practice
Recognition like this matters because of how it is earned. The competition tests what the business actually does — not what it says about itself. The interview stage in particular leaves nowhere to hide: the judges know what a well-run garage looks like, and they press hard on anything that does not add up.
For Shaw’s, making the finals in this category reflects what we try to do every day across both branches: maintain consistent standards, give customers clear information, and run both sites to the same level. That is easy to say. It is harder to demonstrate to a panel of experienced industry judges for 45 minutes.
You can see our awards and accreditations on our website.
Both branches. Same standard.
Shaw’s operates two branches — Kinmel Bay on Foryd Road and Rhyl at Glan y Morfa. Kinmel Bay handles MOTs, servicing, tyres and mechanical repairs. Rhyl covers the full range plus advanced diagnostics, electrical, EV and hybrid, DPF, AdBlue, EGR, vans and commercial vehicles.
The Top Garage assessment covered the business as a whole — both sites, the team across them, and how everything holds together operationally.
Book with Shaw’s
If the standard of who works on your vehicle matters to you, get in touch or book online.
We check it properly.
We explain it properly.
We do the job properly.
You decide what gets done.
Shaw’s Service Station
Kinmel Bay & Rhyl
01745 353481