Rajalingam Mathusan, owner of Premier Childers Street in London, has been named Tobacco & Next Gen Champion of the Year at the Asian Trader Awards 2026 held in London on Wednesday (Nov 4). The award is supported by JTI UK.
Opened in October 2025, the 1,300sq ft store is the fourth Premier in Mathusan’s estate and his first new-concept development. It has brought a previously abandoned building back into use and was designed to serve a busy commuter route and a neighbourhood with a sizeable student population.
The store’s next-generation offer is built around a dedicated Vape Vault, a striking feature with steel-effect exterior plating and a power-assisted entrance. Customers can enter only after age verification, allowing adult shoppers to browse the range in a separate, purpose-designed space.
Mathusan’s wider approach combines the support of the Premier symbol group with the freedom to shape the store around its location. The food-to-go offer includes Costa Coffee, freshly baked pastries, pasties, Rollover hotdogs, muffins, burgers, shakes and iced drinks. A Beer Cave and Soft Drinks Cave add further destination features, while more than six metres of fresh and five metres of frozen space cater to local residents and students.
The range has also been tailored to the catchment, with fresh herbs, larger rice formats, Supermalt and products from a local bakery among the lines highlighted in the nomination.
The store was already generating more than £25,000 in weekly sales at the time of the nomination, with sales rising week on week. Mathusan credits Premier’s planning support, supply, pricing and promotional offer, as well as advice shared by fellow retailers, for helping bring the concept to life.
Asian Trader Awards 2026, held at Westminster Park Plaza Hotel in London on Wednesday (Nov 4), recognised the achievements of independent retailers and businesses from across the country, shining a spotlight on the innovation, enterprise, resilience and community spirit that continue to define the sector.
The evening was hosted by actor Nitin Chandra Ganatra. Minister for Artificial Intelligence The Rt Hon Kanishka Narayan MP graced the occasion as the chief guest.
The Asian Trader Awards 2026 winners
- Responsible Retailer of the Year: Andrew Board, Premier Core Convenience Store, Durham
- Convenience Chain of the Year: Mohan Periyasamy Palani, Samy Group Ltd, Middlesbrough
- Tobacco & Next Gen Champion of the Year: Rajalingam Mathusan, Premier Childers Street, London
- Bakery Retailer of the Year: Roli Ranger, Budgens Ascot, Berkshire
- Next Gen Award: Hamza Hussain, Abu Bakr Supermarkets, Batley, West Yorkshire
- Best Retail Couple of the Year: Bisi and Mayo Osundeko, Go Local Junction Lane, St Helens, Merseyside
- World Food Retailer of the Year: Mohammed Altaf, PAK Foods, Stoke-on-Trent
- Independent Retailer of the Year: George Phillips, TJ’s Late Shop, Londis, Hemel Hempstead
- Best Home Delivery Retailer of the Year: Mandeep Singh, Premier Singh’s Team, Sheffield
- Food to Go Retailer of the Year: Harry and Zoe Archer, Shop & Go, Burstwick Service Station, Hull
- Spirit of the Community Award: Benedict Selvaratnam, Freshfields Market, Croydon, Surrey
- Symbol Retailer of the Year: Kalpesh (Pete) Patel, Zola Ltd t/a Costcutter, Purfleet, Essex
- Off Licence of the Year: Kathleen Campbell and Richard Walker, Campbell’s of Leyburn, North Yorkshire
- Impulse Retailer of the Year: Jas and Michelle Chatha, Go Local Extra, Chathas Retail, Bradford
- Charity Hero of the Year: Jawad and Asiyah Javed, A&J Alloa Spar, Stenhousemuir, Falkirk
- Best Merchandising Store of the Year: Raheem Ali Razaq, Ali’s Nisa Royston, Glasgow
- Businesswoman of the Year: Nathalie Fullerton, Go Local Dumbarton Road, Glasgow
- Asian Trader of the Year: Arul Palaniappan, Premier New Elgin Service Station, Scotland