Family develops largest independent SPAR store in south west

A Dorset family has completed the development of the largest independent SPAR store in the south west as part of a £1.5m capital investment programme.

The Hawtree family, which has run the Riverside Garage and SPAR forecourt store on the A30 at West Stour since 1988, has unveiled its new purpose-built mini supermarket after an eight-month construction project. A second phase, involving the development of a new café and refurbished petrol forecourt, is scheduled to open in January.

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The business was originally established by Graham and Mary Hawtree, joined later by their three sons Paul, Tom and Seb Hawtree who now run the business on a day-to-day basis. It provides petrol forecourt services and convenience shopping to customers over a wide area of North Dorset and, as well as the West Stour site, the family also runs a SPAR village store at nearby Marnhull.

“Our customers are bowled over by what we have achieved with our new store,” said Seb, who managed the project from start to finish. “We now have extensive parking on site for up to 40 vehicles and a store that meets everyone’s grocery needs.

“We had been exceeding expectations with our little forecourt store for some time, but we knew the local community was demanding something bigger and better from us. There are at least ten villages around us with no local shop, and now people can come here to get what they want, avoiding a trip to the nearby towns like Gillingham and Shaftesbury.”

The Hawtrees managed to execute the development without closing existing operations. A new two-storey car sales building and valeting bay has been built, a mini launderette is sited at the side of the store, and plans are underway to develop a new café and business unit. Work is also about to begin on the Murco petrol forecourt refurbishment, with new pumps and islands being installed.

The new SPAR store has been developed with some co-investment from Appleby Westward, the regional distribution company for SPAR stores in the south west. The store provides several attractive new features, including Olive’s Kitchen, a range of delicious homemade meals cooked in Sherborne, and a milk station which is proving extremely popular with customers. There is also a substantial range of chilled and frozen products, an extensive off licence which includes Laithwaites wines and 30 different gins, a wide-ranging food-to-go offer including two Tchibo coffee machines, and a Fwip ice cream machine.