Asif and Abada Akhtar, who run Premier Smeaton Stores in Kirkcaldy, think what they do locally is ‘normal’, but for the community, it has been extra ordinary, and fetched them the Local Hero Award at the 2021 Asian Trader Awards.
The Asian Trader Local Hero Award, supported by Walkers Sensations, acknowledges the role played by store-owners during the pandemic and beyond, shining light on the most innovative and magnanimous manner they responded for their customers and community.
The Smeaton Stores was always in the family, and as a child, his parents would take him to the store – “how Asian families usually do,” he remarks. So he grew up helping out in the store, but he was in fact planning a career away from retail, going to Aberdeen University to study architecture.
Then, unfortunately, his father died of cancer, as he finished his degree.
“At that time, I just felt that I had to take over the business. I've not got any other siblings, and it's just my mum left. So yeah, I just took over and have been, you know, 21 years full time now,” he says.
He admits that he didn’t had the passion for retail when growing up, and the initial plan was to give a couple years to sort it out and then go back to architecture. “But no, 21 years, I'm still here. So of course the passion grew during that time,” he says, with a smile.
He was engaged to Abada at the time, and they tied the knot as his father wanted to see him married before he passed away. Since then, it’s a husband-and-wife team at the Smeaton store.
Of little things
Spending so long in the same community – “you kind of really know almost everyone by name, and not just as customers, you become friends too,” Asif says - had a huge impact on what role the store plays in Smeaton. When they took the store over the family store, the area wasn’t in good shape at all.
“Once the Scottish Government did a survey and it was described as one of the top five most deprived areas in Scotland,” he says. “So you can imagine problems that bring- antisocial behavior, drug abuse, alcohol abuse, domestic abuse, racism, everything like that.”
Asif recollects that he didn't even like going to the store, when he was growing up, adding “those were the reasons why, may be.”
“In fact, for the first year or two we couldn’t even open the shutters because the windows would just get smashed and we had graffiti everywhere,” he went on.
They quickly decided they had a responsibility to do what they could to help push the community forward and bring them together.
“You just kind of educate yourself on how to handle certain situations. But I think the key was integrating ourselves into the community even more than what we already were,” he explains.
The Scottish government started pumping money to rejuvenate the place, and the store also started doing their little bits.
“Just by doing really small things, like sponsoring local football teams, but from the small stuff, the larger stuff naturally came, it just naturally got more integrated into the area,” he says.
“Initially we didn't have a playground here. So the council gave some funding, we put in some funds as well. Things like that and you've got the playground up and running, small things that accumulated into bigger things.”
Indeed, it’s not without reason they say that great things are made up of little things!
They work with local council to provide temporary accommodation for vulnerable families, and the last three properties they handed in to the council are being used to house Afghan refugees.
“That came completely by accident,” Asif explains.
He owned another building in the area, which housed a pub. The venue closed during the pandemic, but it has been attracting lots of complaints from the residents.
“So when the lease was up for the pub, we consciously decided that we weren't going to renew the lease, to tackle this problem, and not to have that as a pub anymore,” he says. “But then that left us with a problem as what we do with that empty building.”
He initially offered the building to the council, hoping they could use it as a community centre of sorts, but they didn't have the funding to do that. So, he converted it into two 3-bedroom houses, which the council used as a temporary accommodation for vulnerable families.
“I gave those houses at a minimum rent, and gave those two houses to the council to use that for temporary accommodation for families, like those who are struggling to pay the mortgage, that they could use it as an in between before they could find them a permanent solution,” he says.
“That's what I started from. From those two houses, I went to three to four to five, and that's what we use them for. We hand them to the council and the council use as temporary commendation.”
They also work closely with local schools, and have been instrumental in addressing the persistent absence, after they observed children coming in and out of the store all day, every day, not just at lunchtime or before or after the school.
“And we're thinking, why aren’t you at school and one of the reasons was that the local high school had a really strict uniform policy, that if you don't have a school uniform, then they sent you home, which was kind of a bit too strict,” he says.
Premier Smeaton Stores Kirkcaldy
They decided that they could do something about it and set up a uniform initiative at the Balwearie High School. “We piled in, donate some money to buy stock. So if they were short of a tie, they will be sent to the office and they would get that tie to wear,” he says. “The sole purpose was they don't get sent away from school back home.”
The initiative took off very well and soon they found themselves increasingly involved with the school, starting a breakfast club, which is a rarity for a high school.
“The high school in particular that we were talking about has a quarter of the children live on the child poverty line, and so they are going to school without breakfast. That's why we thought we can maybe do something here too,” he says.
Last year the school won Scotland's best breakfast club recognition, awarded by Kellogg’s. “That was another great achievement,” Asif says.
They also work with Kirkcaldy High School, donating ice cream and refreshments annually for their end of year awards.
“We are just trying to integrate as much as possible. And we enjoy doing that,” he says. “We were thinking, when we do finally go into retirement, that's the type of work that we kind of do, maybe to go into volunteering, or charity work. That's our aim at the moment and we'd like focusing on just now.”
Fundraising push
In fact, they have their own officially registered charity and raised in excess of £75,000 to date. Two schools, four children’s homes and a mental health unit in their vicinity have been beneficiaries of their various initiatives, among others.
“That again kind of just started by accident,” Asif reveals. “There was a regular customer who came in all the time, but then he got diagnosed with a cancer. Then all he really wanted was – because he has never been on holiday with his family – all he really wanted was like a family holiday.”
They did a small fundraising to try and raise the money, so they we could just send them on holiday. But that fundraising wasn't really small, and they were able to raise over £3400.
“That's when we started this fundraising thing. We thought we could do that for other local good causes, so we would do another fundraiser. And that reached like£ 8000, then like £15,000. But when you start hitting that kind of figure, I was advised that you need to like have something official. That's why we then set up that charity, so that everything's legit, and black and white,” he explains.
And, if they ever doubted how much the local community appreciates what they do, then a special day last year brought it all home. At the time when people would stand outside their houses and clap the NHS staff, their community gathered outside the store one evening and clapped them. “There were no dry eyes that night. It meant the world to us – and our community means the world to us,” he says.
Always up to date
For them, integrating into the community also meant maintaining a top-notch store. When he took over, it was an unaffiliated store, and he joined a symbol group and refurbished it over the years. Even during the pandemic, they continued to develop the store with more refits, totally overhauling the counter area, adding more refrigeration, developing the food to go are and so on.
“At the end of the day, it is a store after all and it’s important that it’s the best store it can be for our customers who relied on us more than ever,” he says.
“Every year, we just try to keep it fresh and up to date and kind of future-proof. Plus it creates that excitement for the customers and ourselves too.”
He adds that nowadays retailers need to seriously look at the energy efficient chillers and the LED lights to reduce the outgoings. And, these are the next steps he plans for the store, as utility bills, which has more than doubles, is one of the most worrying things for him now.
“I think I'm going to be replacing my soft drinks chillers with more energy efficient chillers next, and see how to reduce some overheads and [improve on] sustainability,” he adds.
His favourite approach to re-investing in the store is talking to retailers around him. “They might have already tried something that you're thinking of trying and just get feedback from them. Tango Ice Blast machine, things like that, for example, might not work everywhere. But if you know retailers around you, go and speak to the retailer, and they are usually more than happy to talk to you,” he suggests, stressing the importance of investing in store even amid the current cost of living pressures.
“Things are getting harder for retailers, so I can understand why people might not want to make any sort of investment. But then as you become stagnant, you may not progress,” he warns. “Add something onto your offer.”
He, however, notes that availability is a key issue just now, “sunflower oil is becoming a bit of a problem” and more significantly finds consumer confidence falling.
“I think consumer confidence just isn't there. This past year, especially seasonal activities, for example, Christmas, Mother's Day, Valentine's Day was quiet for me,” he rues. “It’s a worrying situation just now, but you keep competitive, you offer what people are looking for.”
Retaining custom
In fact, it’s this attitude that held him in good stead during the pandemic - “when the independents everywhere tend to shine” - and helped him maintain sales even after the restrictions eased.
“We source products from multiple wholesalers, multiple people, multiple companies, and I was sourcing product all over from Aberdeen, Glasgow, Edinburgh. Toilet rolls, for example, I was going to Aberdeen for ordering them. You could source toilet paper from everywhere at that time where the supermarkets weren't able to do that. We made sure that the product that the customers needed was in-store ready for them,” he tells of his pandemic experience, adding that he has been able to convert a chunk of those lifeline shoppers to regulars.
“I've got people who aren't actually regulars, who aren't from my area, who still now visit the store,” he says.
On the other side, he has also retained his relations with local suppliers developed during those days.
“Things like eggs and bread, it’s difficult to source from the main wholesale supplier, so you've got the local people on board and they never let you down,” he says. “So, when supplies came back to normal a bit, we consciously kept those local suppliers, along with other suppliers.”
Talking on another big pandemic trend, he feels that convenience retailers should be thinking about doing home deliveries, opining that the pandemic has just accelerated what was going to be the ‘next big thing’. .
“Because everyone else is going to be doing it and if you're the only one that's not doing it around your area, you should be thinking about introducing it,” he says. “I think that is the way forward, like an add-on business to your store.”
Social media is already a big thing in retail, but he observes that the phenomenon has drastically shifted the field of competition for local stores.
“Before maybe you used to compete against the shop around you. But now you're kind of competing with the entire town with social media,” he says. “So jump on that fast, early enough, and promote that.”
And, he would like to stress on the fact that there’s no short cut to success in the convenience retail.
“I think retailers sometimes expect too much too quick. And it doesn't work like that, especially in our current climate,” he notes.
“We've been there for like 21 years now. And it takes a very long time to make your business successful, and perseverance and hard work.”
Today, on The National Lottery’s 30th birthday, operator Allwyn is announcing that, through selling tickets, National Lottery retailers have helped players raise a landmark £50 billion for Good Causes since 1994 – funding an incredible 700,000 individual projects across the UK.
Allwyn is also announcing that National Lottery retailers have now earned over £8 billion in sales commission since the first draw on Saturday 19 November 1994.
In addition to changing the face of communities up and down the UK, more than 7,400 millionaires have been created and over £95 billion awarded in prizes since the launch of The National Lottery in 1994.
Over 570 dedicated independent National Lottery retailers have been selling The National Lottery since launch – including Brian McLister, owner of McLister’s Store in Ballycastle, and Raj Patel, owner of News Bit in Bushey.
Through selling National Lottery tickets to players, Raj’s store has raised over £700,000 for National Lottery Good Causes since 1994, while Brian’s store has raised over £650,000.
“I feel proud that we’ve been able to make a difference,” said Brian McLister, owner of McLister’s Store in Ballycastle. “We’ve always strived to serve our local community and to help wherever we can. It’s great to be able to see the benefit of National Lottery funding in your area. Our local museum has been completely regenerated thanks to the funding they’ve received. It feels good to know that we’ve helped in some way.”
Raj Patel, owner of News Bit in Bushey, added: “Whenever I hear that over £30 million is raised every week for Good Causes, it makes me happy that by selling tickets and Scratchcards in my store, I’m helping in some way.”
Allwyn has been running some special games and draws to celebrate three decades of The National Lottery, including:
Last Saturday’s (9 Nov) special Lotto £15 million "Must Be Won" draw which saw a millionaire made and the jackpot roll down to boost all the lower prize tiers.
A EuroMillions 100 European Millionaire Maker draw on Saturday 22 November which will see 100 prizes of £1 million (or €1 million) guaranteed to be won in a single night.
A special 30th birthday Scratchcard that hit stores in the lead up to the birthday and offers the best chance of winning £30 on a game, as well seven top prizes of £300,000.
Brian McLister
Allwyn’s Interim Retail Director, James Dunbar, said: “By selling billions of tickets, and continuing to be the majority sales channel, it’s hard to ignore just how central National Lottery retailers have been in helping players raise £50 billion for Good Causes since 1994. They’ve now earned over £8 billion in sales commission along the way, which further demonstrates the incredible impact of The National Lottery on the UK over the last 30 years. We would like to thank retailers for their amazing commitment and support over the last three decades.”
Three decades of National Lottery funding has created an unparalleled legacy: powering athletic excellence, protecting cultural treasures, advancing artistic achievement and strengthening communities nationwide.
Running alongside the major initiatives are the hundreds of thousands of grants – usually for £10,000 or less – which help small projects to make an amazing difference in their areas.
Since funding began in 1994, UK athletes have won more than 1,000 Olympic and Paralympic medals. The National Lottery has funded the making of more than 600 films which have won an incredible 551 awards, including 16 Oscars, 128 BAFTAs and 34 Cannes awards. Popular attractions and notable landmarks across the UK such as the Eden Project, the Giant’s Causeway, the Kelpies, the Angel of the North and Wembley and the Principality Stadium have all received support from The National Lottery.
Nearly half of Brits (44%) say they would prefer a G&T to a cup of tea when getting together with friends, according to a new survey by spirits major Bacardi Limited.
The UK consumer survey was conducted as part of the sixth annual Bacardi Cocktail Trends Report which anticipates the key trends redefining global cocktail culture and the spirits business in 2025.
Cocktail culture in the UK is continuing its growth trajectory with nearly half (48%) of all Gen Z consumers (aged 18-29 years old) surveyed saying they would prefer to celebrate a special moment with a cocktail instead of Champagne.
The same group also has a growing interest in cocktails over beer and wine. In the UK, 35 per cent of Gen Z respondents said that compared to last year they are more likely to drink a cocktail than beer and 29 per cent said the same about wine.
“As a family-owned company that’s been around for over 160 years, Bacardi has a strong track record of identifying trends in what and where people are drinking,” says Steve Young, business unit director for Bacardi in the UK & Ireland.
“It’s how we ensure our portfolio of premium spirit brands, including Bacardí rum, Bombay Sapphire gin, Grey Goose vodka and Patrón tequila, are the drinks enjoyed by each new generation of consumers.”
Commenting on the UK’s top 10 cocktails for 2025, Davide Zanardo, head of advocacy for Bacardi in the UK & Ireland, said: “The G&T tops our poll for 2025 so perhaps it’s not surprising it’s now rivalling the cup of tea as the country’s national drink. The love that Brits have for Bombay Sapphire has made the iconic blue bottle a feature in bars, stores and homes across the UK.
“In 2025, the tequila trend will be unstoppable with the Margarita shooting up the rankings of the most popular cocktails in the UK, rising eight places from number 13 in 2024 to fifth in 2025. Agave is what everyone in the industry is talking about and that’s reflected in the demand for ultra-premium tequilas like PATRÓN.”
Top 10 UK cocktails for 2025 are:
1. Gin & Tonic
2. Piña Colada
3. Mojito
4. Rum & Coke
5. Margarita
6. Passionfruit / Pornstar Martini
7. Vodka & Lemonade
8. Irish Coffee
9. Daiquiri
10. Gin & Lemonade
Globally, the five macro-trends defined by the 2025 Bacardi Cocktail Trends Report are:
1: Premium Fans. Fandoms are redefining premium entertainment as they invest in immersive experiences that embrace hospitality add-ons and bespoke travel packages, and next year’s highly anticipated Oasis reunion is only going to fuel this trend. Brands and venues are responding to this demand with offers that include luxury hotels for “gig-tripping” packages and sports bars curating exclusive cocktail experiences. The synergy between fandom and premium spirits at live events is helping to shape the future of entertainment.
2: In-The-Know Imbibing. Cocktail culture is evolving from spectacle to substance, as IYKYK – i.e. If You Know You Know – experiences take centre stage. Mixologists will transform into designers, educators and opinion leaders, using their craft to create a more meaningful connection with every person that walks into their bar. In fact, 61 percent of UK respondents to the Bacardi Consumer Survey are concerned that drinks created by AI will miss the emotional and artistic finesse of bartenders.
3: New Cocktail Frontiers. Digital fatigue and a growing desire for cultural exploration mean people are craving real, multi-sensory engagement—in fact, UK respondents to the Bacardi survey ranked cocktails that provide a multi-sensory experience as a key reason for paying more. This shift is transforming how people enjoy drinks and where they enjoy them. 2025 will see the rise of immersive venues which cater to early evening, sensory-rich cocktail moments.
4: Culinary Connoisseurs. The line between food and drink is blurring as mixologists experiment with kitchen staples like milk, oil, and brine to create a new wave of gastro-inspired drinking experiences. Nearly three-quarters (70%) of bartenders draw inspiration from the culinary arts when creating cocktails, according to the Bacardi Global Brand Ambassador Survey. This trend aligns with consumer interest in savoury and herbaceous flavours, which grew by 20% and 15% respectively in 2024.
5: The Future Spirit. As brands evolve to align with the values of next-gen consumers, 2025 will see a push for inclusivity and a drive for positive change. A strong focus on community building and education will see support for organizations that improve the hospitality landscape. The Bacardi Global Brand Ambassador Survey underscores the industry's motivation for deeper connection with 62% of respondents expressing interest in more professional networking opportunities in 2025.
Thousands of British farmers today (19) are set to march to Parliament Square to protest against the end of an inheritance tax exemption that has helped family farms pass down the generations, saying the move will threaten food production.
First unveiled in chancellor Rachel Reeves’s Budget, the plans to impose inheritance tax on farms worth more than £1m have sparked fury among rural communities, who have contested the government’s assertion that small family farms will not be impacted by the changes.
Opposition to the so-called "tractor tax" is one part of a wider backlash against Reeves's financial plans. Farmers say the change will threaten the viability of family farms, which often have tight profit margins, and that their children will have to sell land to cover the tax bill, raising the risk that food production will suffer.
The National Farmers’ Union (NFU) has organised an event in which 1,800 of its members will meet with local MPs at Westminster to voice their anger on Tuesday, as thousands are also separately expected to stage a demonstration in Whitehall. Protest organisers say that while this event will be peaceful and include children driving toy tractors, rallies could escalate in the future if the government refuses to budge.
In an interview with BBC News, Tom Bradshaw, president of the NFU, said that farmers felt particularly aggrieved because last year, when Steve Reed was shadow environment secretary, he said Labour was not planning to change agricultural property relief (the inheritance tax exemption). He said farmers only started hearing rumours that the government was going to go back on this about a week before the budget.
He said he did not accept the government’s claims that most farms will not be affected by the change. Instead, he said, “75 per cent of the commercial farms in the United Kingdom will be within the scope of this policy change.”
Bradshaw also said farmers were willing to work with the government to produce a better version of the policy. He explained: "This policy is ill thought through. There’s still a 20 per cent benefit for the uber-wealthy to invest in agricultural land, and with the changes they’ve made to pensions, they’ve now incentivised people to rip money out of pensions and invest in up to £1m of agricultural land.
"That is not going to deliver for food security. It’s absolutely nonsensical. It’s not joined up. There’s no thought about the impact on food production or the families that produce this country’s food.
"Let’s sit down [with the government]. Give us the question. Tell us what the exam question is. We will work with you. If you want to stop people using land as a tax dodge, let’s work out the policy that does that. But this policy is not the answer."
The government argues that tax exemptions have led to wealthy non-farmers seizing agricultural land and pricing out genuine young farmers, and point to Budget funding of £5bn to help farmers produce food.
Retailers are invited to board Bestway’s Profit Express’ train as Bestway Wholesale launches its major Christmas campaign to its B2B customers across its nationwide depots, allowing retailers to access to its leading festive deals to drive shopper footfall against the backdrop of the theatre. The campaign will be live until Thursday 2 January 2025 giving customers the elevated, engaging and high impact theatre they have become famous for over the last three years.
In collaboration with key suppliers, the ‘Profit Express’ festive campaign delivers all the magic of theatre and festive fun, ensuring exceptional visibility and engagement for its expected 80,000 retailers shopping the Christmas campaign.
With a proven track record of delivering high-impact seasonal campaigns and aiming to build on last year’s success when the business achieved an average 158% volume uplift on SKUs during the Christmas campaign, Bestway is doubling down on the promotions to help ease the pressure on customers over this peak trading period – giving more back and strengthening its support for independent retailers with relevant offers for the festive period.
Inspired by the animated Christmas adventure film, Polar Express, retailers can enjoy a ride on the Bestway Profit Express steam engine, an unmissable and exciting journey to the North Pole. Along the way there will be several stops brimming with amazing festive deals where retailers can jump off to take advantage of the promotions and enjoy the festive cheer.
Each of the Profit Express carriages will be a real focus of the campaign, specially conceived to inspire customer excitement and interaction and display the promotional offers in depots nationwide. Large digital screens within depots will shine a light on special products, retailer promotions and supplier content.
Online, Bestway has taken the Profit Express train to the virtual digital realm giving its site a festive glow up of all the things it loves about Christmas. Its website www.bestwaywholesale.co.uk will be reflecting the festive spirit through a disruptive animated homepage and dedicated landing page with its 2024 seasons greetings of fabulous deals and promotions.With a train ride in the snow, Bestway will take its customers on a journey of key branded offers.
As a huge part of the trading calendar, Bestway aims to share the Christmas trading spirit with creatively themed marketing digital communications with a series of emails, WhatsApps and competitions to be won, ensuring its retailers are the first to hear about the promotions via targeted messages.
Kenton Burchell, Trading Director for Bestway Wholesale and Retail, says:
“We are really excited by this year’s Christmas campaign and confident we’re offering the very best deals in the market. We’ve saved some top deals of the year for the biggest shopping season to help our customers to increase sales and optimise their margin and profit at this time.
“Retailers can enjoy large-scale fun which is interactive and engaging directly with them in our depots and online on our website and apps. This year’s campaign is based on the story (now a much-loved film) about a young boy who embarks on a magical adventure to the North Pole on the Polar Express, while learning about the spirit of Christmas.
“It’s the perfect forum for suppliers to showcase their Christmas products, enhance brand visibility and drive additional sales during this key trading period.
Burchell concludes:
“We hope the campaign will encourage our retailers to make Bestway their number one choice of where to shop for their festive products this Christmas. By doing so, they will be rewarded – our whole aim is to help them make more possible for their business and their customers this Christmas”.
Imperial Brands has reported a robust performance for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2024, helped by strong cigarette prices and rise in its Next Generation Products (NGP) segment.
The group, whose brands include Golden Virginia tobacco, Rizla rolling papers, Winston cigarettes and the vaping brand blu, delivered a 4.6 per cent increase in tobacco and NGP net revenue on a constant currency basis. This was driven by strong pricing in the tobacco segment, which offset a 4 per cent decline in volume, and a remarkable 26.4 per cent rise in NGP revenue.
Group adjusted operating profit also grew by 4.6 per cent at constant currency to £3.9bn, reflecting operational resilience and strategic execution.
“As we enter the final year of our current strategy, the investment we have made in consumer capabilities, cultural transformation and agile ways of working has supported another year of accelerated financial delivery and growing capital returns,” Stefan Bomhard, chief executive, said.
In tobacco, the group has delivered aggregate market share gains across its five priority markets, with four out of five markets in share growth. In the UK, the company faced a 50 basis point decline in market share, which it attributed to high excise duties and a rise in illicit tobacco trade.
However, the company said, despite these challenges, the UK remains “an important value contributor.” Tobacco and NGP net revenue in the UK accounted for 7 per cent of the group's total, supported by strategic price increases. The NGP sales benefited from the successful roll-out of new products including the 1,000-puff blu bar disposable and the rechargeable blu bar kit, the company added.
NGP has emerged as a growth driver, with Imperial for the first time reporting increased revenue in all three regions.
In the Europe region, the company saw strong growth in vape, led by the UK and supported by new products including the 1,000-puff blu bar disposable and the rechargeable blu bar kit. The NGP net revenue in Europe now represents around 8 per cent of tobacco and NGP net revenue.
CEO Stefan Bomhard expressed confidence in delivering the final year of the group's current strategy, highlighting the transformation into a strong challenger in the tobacco and NGP sectors.
“Our operational delivery coupled with consistently strong cash flow generation has supported enhanced shareholder returns with increases to both our ordinary dividend and share buyback. We are on track to deliver five-year capital returns of c. £10bn, representing 67 per cent of our market capitalisation in January 2021 when we launched our strategy,” he said.
In the coming year, the company expects to deliver low single-digit tobacco and NGP net revenue growth and to grow the group adjusted operating profit close to the middle of our mid-single digit range, driven by continued profit growth from the combustible tobacco business and a further reduction in operating losses in the NGP portfolio.