A shop manager who helped shepherd his staff and customers to safety as fire erupted inside his store is in the running for a national award.

Ian Allcock, manager of Homebase at Quarry Road Industrial Park in Aylesford, is one of six store managers across the country to be shortlisted for store manager of the year at the Oracle Retail Week Awards 2012.

After taking control of the evacuation when the store burnt down in an arson attack in May last year, Mr Allcock re-deployed all 68 staff to neighbouring outlets and worked on the rebuild. He then appointed a new leadership team and devised and led an intensive eight-week training plan.

His nomination said: "As a result of his hard work, the store was successfully re-opened one year later as a new Home Enhancers’ Store, with opening sales double the expected figures." George MacDonald, deputy editor of Retail Week, said: "The quality of submissions within this category continues to go from strength to strength." The winner will be announced at a ceremony on March 15, 2012 at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London.