TRENDИG Awards Derby 2026 Winners: The Fig Crowned Best Independent Shop

On Sadler Gate, where Derby’s independent spirit pulses strongest, The Fig has quietly built something far more meaningful than just a shop. It has become a destination, a community hub, and now, officially, the Best Independent Shop at the TRENDИG Awards Derby 2026.

For Mel, the driving force behind The Fig, the moment the win was announced was one of genuine surprise and pride, especially given the strength of the competition. “I’m absolutely thrilled that The Fig won Best Independent Shop,” she says. “There was tough competition, and some of them were fellow traders from around Sadler Gate, so I’m just really happy the award highlighted The Fig and Sadler Gate as a whole.”

That sense of collective achievement is central to The Fig’s story. This is not a business that exists in isolation. It is deeply embedded in Derby’s independent ecosystem, where collaboration, support, and shared identity are everything. Winning the award, Mel explains, felt like recognition not just for her shop, but for the wider community that surrounds it. “It means the world to me… not just for me, but for Sadler Gate too. We are all a band of hard-working independents. It’s incredibly important independents are supported-we are what makes a street, town, city different.”

That idea of difference is exactly what The Fig delivers. At a time when high streets across the UK are increasingly dominated by uniform chains, The Fig offers something refreshingly distinct: a hybrid health store and zero-waste refill space designed to make conscious living accessible. But this concept wasn’t born overnight.

“I’ve been doing this a long time,” Mel explains. Her journey into natural health and eco-conscious retail has been gradual, evolving alongside her own values. “I’ve always had an interest in natural health… I’ve always tried to be eco-friendly… so it just grew organically.” That organic growth is reflected in the shop itself-a space that feels considered rather than constructed, where sustainability and wellbeing sit side by side.

What makes The Fig particularly important in Derby right now is its ability to lower the barrier to entry for more mindful living. Sustainability can often feel overwhelming or inaccessible, but Mel’s approach is rooted in simplicity. “Shopping consciously is a personal decision,” she says, “but if The Fig can provide an easy step to make-that first step-then I’ve ticked a box.”

That “first step” mentality is key. Whether it’s refillable household products, organic goods, or natural health items, The Fig invites customers into a new way of thinking without judgement. The experience is tactile, welcoming, and human-a stark contrast to the impersonal nature of larger retail environments.

And it is that human element that truly defines The Fig’s place within Derby’s independent culture. “We provide something different. Something unique. Something fun,” Mel says. “But also, we provide something familiar. A friendly smile and we remember your face and your name-that’s our superpower.”

It’s a simple idea, but one that carries enormous weight. In an era of automation and anonymity, independent shops like The Fig offer connection. They turn transactions into relationships, and streets into communities. Sadler Gate, with its cluster of independent businesses, thrives on exactly this energy-and The Fig plays a vital role in that ecosystem.

Winning Best Independent Shop at the TRENDИG Awards 2026 feels less like a culmination and more like a milestone in an ongoing journey. Because if there is one thing Mel makes clear, it is that The Fig is far from finished.

“I’ve so many plans,” she says. “It’s a working progress and it’s forever progressing.” Chief among those ambitions is the development of the shop’s first floor-a space that hints at future expansion, new ideas, and deeper community engagement. Like many independent businesses, time and cost present challenges, but the vision remains firmly in place.

With the continued support of its loyal customer base, The Fig is set to grow not just in size, but in impact. “Hopefully The Fig will grow and grow and be one of those businesses that people remember and talk fondly about in years to come,” Mel reflects.

If its trajectory so far is anything to go by, that future is already well within reach. Because The Fig is more than a shop. It is a reflection of what Derby does best-championing independence, embracing creativity, and building something real, one customer at a time.

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