Plans to convert a vacant South Shields pub into a convenience store have been given the green light, despite objections from CAMRA beer campaigners.
South Tyneside Council’s planning department has approved an application for The Jolly Steward site in the borough’s Harton ward.
Plans from One Stop Stores Limited, a major retail convenience business, were submitted earlier this year in a bid to change part of the site at Fulwell Avenue into a retail use.
A planning application submitted to council officials described the site as a “vacant former public house” and noted the new development would create jobs, including three full-time employees and 10 part-time roles.
The development aimed to convert the pub into a retail shop with ancillary staff residential accommodation to the first floor, alterations to the building’s elevations, new ramp structures at entrances and a new air conditioning and refrigeration plant to the rear.
Proposed external alterations to the building included new windows, doors, ramps and signage, as well as “infilling” some windows and doors.
A total of 14 car parking spaces were also proposed, including three resident car parking spaces, two staff parking spaces and nine customer car parking spaces (including two disabled parking bays), along with four cycle spaces.
During a council consultation exercise on the plan, a single objection was submitted from CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale) about the loss of the pub as a ‘community asset’ and campaigners said there was “no justification” from developers on this issue.
The CAMRA representation, included in a council report, added: “If running the Jolly Stewart as a public house is currently ‘unviable’ for the current owner, could it be viable for another operator?
“Change of use should only be considered once meaningful attempts to market this community facility as a going concern have been made, at a realistic market price, for a suitable length of time and following suitable consultation with the local community.”
A petition with seven signatories was also submitted to the council in support of the shop conversion proposal, describing the development as a “welcome addition to the wider community”.
The petition said that the proposal would “not result in a significant increase in traffic to the area due to the close walking proximity the shop’s location will provide”.
After considering the planning application and assessing it against planning policies, South Tyneside Council’s planning department approved it on 13 December.
Council planners, in a council decision report, said The Jolly Steward pub had “stopped trading and the land is no longer being used”.
Council planners noted the proposed shop would “serve a primarily local catchment” and that the gross floorspace proposed was “modest in size and reflective of the size of unit likely to be suited to a small convenience store serving a local catchment”.
The council decision report added: “It is considered that the sequential test is satisfied in this instance and that there would be no significant harm to the vitality and viability of the borough’s defined centres subject to a condition restricting the range of goods that can be sold from the premises to primarily convenience goods only.
“Furthermore, the proposal would result in the re-use of a currently vacant building and would provide social and economic benefits (such as additional jobs) to the immediate vicinity and wider borough.”
Council planners also said the plans would be acceptable in terms of design, highway safety and deliveries and that there would be no “unacceptable impacts on the amenities or privacy of the occupiers of any neighbouring properties.”
Under planning conditions, the development must be brought forward within three years.
Proposed opening hours for the shop at the site will be 7am-10pm, seven days a week.
New rules about how and where foods high in fat, salt and sugar (HFSS) can be promoted and displayed in larger shops and online have been passed by the Senedd.
The regulations are designed to prevent impulse purchases and over-consumption and expected to help to tackle the growing problem of obesity in Wales.
The Food (Promotion and Presentation) (Wales) Regulations 2025, which largely mirror rules already in place in England, will:
restrict promotions that can encourage over-consumption, such as multi-buy offers and free refills of sugary drinks
restrict the presentation of foods high in fat, sugar and salt products at prime selling locations such as store entrances, checkouts and website homepages
apply to medium and large businesses with 50 or more employees
The Welsh government said, citing research, up to 83 per cent of purchases made on promotion are impulse buys, with almost half (43%) of food and drink products in prominent store locations promoting sugary foods and drinks.
“These regulations are a key part of our strategy to tackle Wales’ growing obesity problem,” Welsh health secretary Jeremy Miles said after the vote in the Senedd.
“We want to make it easier for people to make healthier choices and we’ll achieve this by improving the food environment around them. If we ensure healthier food and drinks are more available, accessible and visible to people in shops and stores, it will support our efforts to reduce obesity rates and improve public health.”
Miles has earlier said that the government will continue to support businesses and local authorities to implement and enforce the requirements introduced by these regulations.
The regulations will come into force in March next year following a 12-month implementation period.
JET New North Road store in Ilford, London is expecting its flower sales to cross £85,000 this year from popular calendar days, including Mother’s Day, International Women’s Day and Valentine’s Day.
Tulips, roses and mixed bunches are among the bouquets expected to sell well this Mother’s Day weekend, with predicted sales of £20-25,000.
Valentine’s Day remains the most popular flower-buying event, with sales of £35,000, while the increasingly popular International Women’s Day celebration recently led to sales of £25,000 for the family-run business.
JET New North Road in Ilford
“We’ve seen our flower sales skyrocket over the years – helped along by calendar days like these,” Kayur Patel, business manager at JET New North Road, said.
“Flowers bring so much joy, and we’re proud to be a part of helping customers bring that joy to their loved ones with a beautiful bouquet!”
Offering high-quality flowers from Amsterdam and Kenya, the Ilford-based service station has become the go-to place for quality flowers in the community - with more than 1,000 customers expected to buy Mother’s Day flowers this weekend.
Keep ReadingShow less
Victoria Lockie leaves Unitas for a new adventure.
Unitas Wholesale retail director and executive board member Victoria Lockie is to leave the business in April as she looks to take on a new challenge, the buying group confirmed to Asian Trader today (27).
Lockie joined the business in September 2024.
In a span of six months, she has played a pivotal role in strategically reviewing the Unitas retail proposition and the overall service provided to Unitas members.
Heading up the retail and commercial functions, she has made a significant impact by identifying strategic opportunities, developing her team and revitalising Unitas’ DE&I agenda.
Managing Director John Kinney said, “I would like to thank Victoria for her hard work and commitment in the time that she has worked at Unitas. We all wish her the best of luck with her next opportunity.”
Lockie also oversaw Unitas' Plan for Profit scheme, which is a subscription service offering independent retailers business updates, rewards, and resources to help them succeed in the convenience market, including core range guides and promotional packages.
Prior to Unitas, Lockie spent more than 12 years at NISA.
Joining in 2012 as a sales support manager, Lockie served in positions such as head of retail operations and head of key accounts. Her time at Nisa was transformative, both for herself and the company.
She also led the symbol group’s retail team through significant transitions, including Nisa’s shift from a mutual-style ownership structure to a corporate governance model.
Lockie also became a trustee for MADL (Making A Difference Locally), where she worked to help independent retailers support their local communities.
She is an ambassador for Diversity in Wholesale, Women in Wholesale, GroceryAid, and WiHTL ‘Women to Watch 2024. or many years has heavily supported the Association of Convenience Stores including the more recent Shopkind campaign.
Keep ReadingShow less
Brian Eagle Brown with new ShopMate 360 EPoS solution
ShopMate has introduced ShopMate 360, a “streamlined and affordable” EPoS system designed for convenience retailers.
ShopMate said the new solution ihas been developed with small retailers in mind, offering an easy-to-use till interface that requires minimal training. With an intuitive design, even those new to retail technology can quickly get up to speed, ensuring smooth daily operations.
“One thing we often hear is that many EPoS systems come with complex features that small retailers just don’t need. Their tech needs to be smart, but that doesn’t mean loading it up with all the bells and whistles – it actually means the opposite,” Brian Eagle Brown, managing director at ShopMate, told Asian Trader.
The system separates store operations from business management, allowing retailers to focus on till functionality while still having access to key back-office tools like:
Product and category management
Hotkeys and SELs
Wholesaler promotions
User management and reporting
Retailers will benefit from automatic wholesaler pricing and promotions, removing the hassle of manual price updates and ensuring accurate pricing.
Helen and Andrew Wood of Edith Weston Village Store in Edith Weston, Rutland
Additionally, integrated payments with ShopMate Pay simplify payment workflows and reduce overhead costs, offering retailers a single, streamlined solution.
“We understand that convenience retailers need a reliable, easy-to-use solution that helps them run their stores efficiently,” Eagle Brown said. “ShopMate 360 delivers just that – essential functionality without distractions.”
Helen Wood, owner of Edith Weston Village Store, has been among the first to trial ShopMate 360 alongside ShopMate Pay. She praises its intuitive interface: “We’ve found the till interface intuitive and easy to use; everything is precisely where you think it should be. And ShopMate Pay works seamlessly, exactly as you hope it would – it’s just really easy.”
Among the last few tea drinkers, Brits still have profound loyalty for their cup of tea, with Yorkshire Tea standing out as a true favourite, shows a recent survey, also highlighting fall in the popularity of tea among younger generations.
According to a national survey of 6,000 adults by Tracksuit, brand tracking expert for more than 650 consumer labels, those who drink tea, Yorkshire Tea was crowned the favourite brew, surpassing its long-standing rivals PG Tips and Tetley.
Some 24 per cent of tea drinkers said that Yorkshire Tea was their favourite, ahead of PG Tips at 17 per cent and Tetley’s at 15 per cent. Twinings came fourth with 11 per cent, well ahead of Typhoo with 3 per cent.
The survey also found a striking level of loyalty among British tea drinkers, with 39 per cent refusing to switch from their preferred tea brand, which was far higher than the typical 13 per cent loyalty rate across food and drink brands generally.
However, the survey also shows lays bare the rapidly decreasing popularity of tea among younger generations.
Some 37 per cent of people aged under 35 said that they would choose coffee as their favourite hot drink, according to a national survey of 6,000 adults by Tracksuit, brand tracking expert for more than 650 consumer labels.
Tea came third with 25 per cent of those under 35 choosing it as their favourite drink, after hot chocolate in second with 31 per cent.
Analysts said that the figures “suggest [tea’s] popularity could continue to fall in future generations”, raising concerns that beloved cuppa could face extinction as Millennials and Gen Z prefer coffee and hot chocolate to the traditional brew.
Matt Herbert, the author of the report and co-founder of Tracksuit, said, “Our research uncovers the profound loyalty Brits have for their tea, with Yorkshire Tea standing out as a true favourite.
“The data reveals that brand preference goes far beyond taste; it’s an emotional connection. British tea drinkers are weirdly loyal, which speaks to how brands have successfully woven themselves into the fabric of daily life and national identity.”