THE manager of a Worcester key cutting and shoe repair shop is celebrating after his company was named one of the best in the country to work for.

Timpson's was ranked sixth in the Sunday Times '100 Best Companies to Work For' list, published at the end of March.

Raising a glass

Rich Powell, who is manager of the Worcester store in Mealcheapen Street, toasted the chairman John Timpson with the complimentary bottle of wine sent to every staff member in celebration of making it onto the list.

Mr Timpson transformed Timpson from a struggling footwear retailer in the 1980s to a profitable 325-strong chain of repair outlets.

"It's people like Rich Powell that make this company successful," he said.

"I have complete faith in Rich's skills and ability to do a great job for our Worcester customers."

The privately-owned Timpson's was ranked alongside international organisations such as Microsoft and Cisco.