Following a full-scale refurbishment that also includes installation of a new food-to-go area, SPAR Barrowford is now reopened with a fresh look.
Festive mood was prevalent in Barrowford village in Lancashire on Wednesday (19) as the convenience store opened its doors, promising an enhanced shopping experience for the community.
SPAR Barrowford's reopening was met with celebrations as excited locals waited eagerly to explore the store.
Mayor of Pendle, Cllr Mohammad Aslam, officiated the ribbon-cutting ceremony, joined by representatives from Barrowford Celtic Football Club and Barrowford Cricket Club, both of which received contributions from SPAR in celebration of the relaunch.
Ian Hall, Chairman of James Hall & Co. Ltd, owner of SPAR Barrowford, Company Stores Director Fiona Drummond, and new Store Manager Stacy Atherton also joined the community as eager locals queued excitedly outside.
As part of the reopening event, Barrowford School Choir performed live in the store. A family fun day was also integrated into the occasion with face painting, in-store games, free samples, and free hot drinks on offer.
The comprehensive modernisation of SPAR Barrowford includes a brand-new food-to-go area installed, overhauling the range of delicious sandwiches and hot food customers can purchase.
The revamped store now has outstanding value in the range of hot drinks served from the new Cheeky Coffee machine, and hot food. Customers will be able to take advantage of a variety of interchangeable SPAR meal deals that deliver better value to customers at different points of the day.
SPAR Barrowford reopensJames Hall & Co
Shoppers at SPAR Barrowford can now enjoy an expanded selection of fresh produce, with a standout range of vibrant fruits and vegetables, including loose options and mix-and-match deals. The freshly baked bread section has also been enhanced, offering customers a wider variety of daily essentials.
The store’s new entrance design has maximized floor space, creating a more seamless shopping experience. Contemporary refrigeration, lighting, and shelving have further transformed the space, making it brighter, more inviting, and easier to navigate.
Long-time Barrowford resident Lisa Titchiner, who has shopped at the store for 35 years, was impressed by the changes.
"It has always been a classic convenience store, but now it feels like so much more. The range of products is fantastic, and the store feels bright and airy—it’s a huge improvement!"
Fellow shopper Sue Anderson echoed the sentiment, "What a difference! The fresh produce section has a real greengrocer feel, and the hot food area will be a hit with lunchtime customers.
“The staff here are also wonderful. They go above and beyond, they recognise you, and they chat with you at the till which is valued by customers.”
The reopening also reinforced SPAR’s commitment to the local community, with sponsorships for Barrowford Celtic Football Club and Barrowford Cricket Club.
Carl Jeffery, Chairman of Barrowford Celtic Football Club said, “We really appreciate SPAR approaching us as a sponsor and we value being invited down to the reopening of the store which makes it extra special. We use the store regularly as a club and it is great to see it reopened.
“I am especially pleased that SPAR have been keen to support the club’s Academy development and growth of our female football teams which I am particularly passionate about.”
Fiona Drummond, SPAR Barrowford, Company Stores Director, said, “From the moment you walk through the door, SPAR Barrowford has the wow factor. We have transformed our offer and created a warm and inviting community store.
“I was delighted to hear the glowing comments from our customers who had missed it dearly. Stacy and the store team are looking forward to welcoming more of our customers back in over the coming days to discover the amazing new shopping experience they have on their doorstep.”
James Hall & Co. Ltd is a fifth-generation family business which serves a network of independent SPAR retailers and company-owned SPAR stores across Northern England six days a week from its base at Bowland View in Preston.
BP on Thursday announced the launch of its first new format EV charging and convenience hub at Cromwell Road on the A4 in Hammersmith, London.
Fuel has been removed from the site and five ultra-fast bp pulse 300kW chargers installed, each capable of charging two cars simultaneously, with canopies over the chargers.
The site features a redesigned convenience store, with upgraded wildbean cafe and M&S Food offer, to cater especially for EV drivers and customers on the go.
BP said this combined food, drink and convenience offer reflects the increase in drivers’ expectations of services they want to access while their car is charging.
The instore and outside design, with its contemporary new look, enhances the customer experience by optimising the layout with an open and inviting environment and product offerings, targeting customers who want food-for-now.
“The launch of our Cromwell Road EV convenience hub is a significant milestone in how we’re evolving to meet the needs of a new generation of EV drivers in the capital and beyond,” Richard Bartlett, SVP for BP Pulse and mobility & convenience, Europe, said.
“This new format site is not just about providing fast, reliable charging where drivers need it but also delivering an outstanding retail experience, in a strategic location connecting central London with Heathrow and the west of England.”
This all-electric charging hub at BP Cromwell Road is part of the company’s broader strategy to evolve its mobility and convenience network across the UK meeting customers’ needs wherever they are on the energy transition. As well as optimising existing sites, by adding BP Pulse EV charging to its premium fuel and retail offer, BP will also develop new EV charging hubs with enhanced convenience offers that match customer needs.
BP said more than 50 per cent of its customers in the UK visit its retail sites purely to shop. As it delivers the next stage of its convenience retail offer, the company said it will test, adapt and learn from live sites and customer feedback.
The opening of Cromwell Road adds the fifth charging hub to BP Pulse’s west London charging corridor along the A4 to Heathrow. BP Pulse's existing network now includes almost 3,500 rapid and ultra-fast charge points, including at over 225 BP retail sites.
Greater Manchester-based wine and spirits firm Kingsland Drinks Group has announced the appointment of Sarah Baldwin as Managing Director.
Baldwin will lead the employee-owned, full-service drinks company from April, leaving Purity Soft Drinks, where she sat as chief executive for over six years.
With a strong background in FMCG covering retail, consumer brands and own label, she has extensive and proven commercial experience earned in senior leadership roles at Gü Puds as managing director, Arla Foods as VP marketing (UK) and Asda as category director. Baldwin is also a long-standing board member and executive council member of the British Soft Drinks Association.
Baldwin’s appointment follows the departure of Ed Baker, who led the business until November 2024.
Andy Sagar, Kingsland Drinks Group chairman, said: “Sarah’s extensive experience in drinks and the wider FMCG industry will play a considerable role in the coming years as we continue to build our position as a competitive full-service drinks company.
“We cater for every part of the drinks industry, from UK high street retailers and the national on trade, to global brands requiring a production and packing partner and challenger brands wishing to scale. We are confident that Sarah’s expertise and vision will continue to drive our company forward and help us deliver our long-term company vision - to build a better drinks industry and society. We welcome Sarah to the Kingsland family.”
Baldwin commented: “I’m joining a talented and well-developed team in a unique business at an exciting time. I very much embrace the opportunity to embark on this new chapter at Kingsland Drinks Group and be part of how the firm grows in the long term.”
In recent years Kingsland has upweighted its focus on spirits and no and low alcohol creation and increased its capacity to pack wines and spirits in new and emerging formats including new carbonation, bottling, Bag in Box and canning lines.
The company also reinstated its onsite winery and expanded its NPD capabilities with a new laboratory in recent years. In 2021, the company transitioned into an employee-owned model, enabling its members to have a say in how the company is run.
Essex has seen a staggering rise of over 14,000 per cent in illegal vape seizures in the past 12 months, a new report has revealed.
The shocking figures place the county just behind the London Borough of Hillingdon for total seizures - which leading industry expert, Ben Johnson, Founder of Riot Labs, attributes to its proximity to Heathrow airport.
The Illegal Vape report, released by vape retailer Vape Club following a Freedom of Information request, revealed the ten counties with the highest seizures in the past 12 months and the percentage change versus 2023.
Two illegal vapes were seized every minute in 2024, with almost £9 million worth of illegal products removed from UK streets. The number of illegal vapes seized year-on-year since 2020 saw a dramatic 100-fold increase.
Ben Johnson, who’s company has launched Riot Activist to defend the vape sector and protect smokers trying to quit, claims the government have a golden opportunity to reduce illegal vapes through the introduction of a licensing scheme.
“The bottom line is, the illegal vape black market is booming due to a lack of enforcement and the government’s ongoing attempts to use prohibition, which is only fueling the problem. Prohibition does not work,” Johnson commented.
“A well-executed licensing scheme for vapes which would be self-funded, and therefore enforced, is the best option to crack down on illegal vapes and manage the youth vape problem. Vapes have a vital role to play in the government’s smoke free ambitions, helping millions of adult smokers quit. Their current approach is absolute self-sabotage, and as these staggering figures show - they urgently need to wake up.”
In England, London contributed to nearly half of all illegal vape seizures (47%), while Newport, in Wales, saw significant increases contributing to 70 per cent of Wales’ total seizures.
In Scotland, Renfrewshire Council - the home of Glasgow airport - reported the highest number of seizures (3,814).
Dan Marchant, chief executive of Vape Club, added: “Innocent Brits who are using vapes as a legitimate tool to quit are being exploited by the black market, and more has to be done to protect them. Dangerously high nicotine levels and contaminated products are reaching consumers due to this illicit activity, and the government must reconsider its current position - and properly study the proposed retail and distributor licensing framework which is the most effective approach to solving the youth vape problem, without impacting smokers who use vaping to quit smoking.”
How to tell if you have an illegal vape:
Illegal vapes are dangerous, unregulated devices with unknown ingredients or much higher nicotine levels which can pose serious risks to health. The telltale signs to look out for include:
Vapes with a tank size larger than 2ml
Vapes with a nicotine strength greater than 20mg/ml
Vapes without the correct health or nicotine warnings
Poor quality packaging with low-resolution photos or labels
Vapes without a UK address or labelling in a foreign language
Untested vapes that haven't been properly safety checked, including vapes without full ingredient list displayed on packaging
Britain will investigate the long-term effects of vaping on children as young as eight in a decade-long study of their health and behaviour, the government said on Wednesday.
The government has been cracking down on the rapid rise of vaping among children, with estimates showing a quarter of 11- to 15-year-olds have tried it out.
A ban on disposable vapes is due to come into force in June, and the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, currently passing through parliament, will limit flavours and packaging on vapes designed to attract children.
"The long-term health impacts of youth vaping are not fully known, and this comprehensive approach will provide the most detailed picture yet," the health department said.
The £62 millionstudy will track 100,000 people aged 8-18 years through the 10-year period, collecting data on behaviour and biology as well as health records, the statement said.
The World Health Organisation has urged governments to treat e-cigarettes similarly to tobacco, warning of their health impact and potential to drive nicotine addiction among non-smokers, especially children and young people.
"It is already known that vaping can cause inflammation in the airways, and people with asthma have told us that vapes can trigger their condition," said Sarah Sleet, CEO of British lung charity Asthma + Lung UK.
"Vaping could put developing lungs at risk, while exposure to nicotine - also contained in vapes - can damage developing brains."
In Britain, unlike traditional cigarettes which are heavily taxed and face strict advertising limitations, vapes are not subject to 'sin tax' and carry colourful designs and fruity flavours that make them stand out on shop shelves.
The government, which plans to introduce a flat rate duty on vaping liquid from next October, said the study would provide researchers and policymakers with the evidence needed to protect the next generation from potential health risks.
It also launched a nationwide vaping campaign, due to roll out primarily on social media to "speak directly" to younger audience using influencers.
Commenting, Marina Murphy, senior director, scientific affairs at vape firm Haypp, said the study will help to build a strong scientific evidence base for UK policymakers.
“Without a strong evidence base, there may be a temptation to default to measures such as flavour bans that don’t directly address issues around youth access but may instead discourage adult smokers from switching. In other jurisdictions, flavours bans have led to increased smoking,” Murphy said.
“The first ever public health campaign to discourage youth vaping is a welcome step, but we must remember that vapes are already an adult only product. We also need clear information about vapes from government to adult smokers. Half the adults in the UK already believe vapes to be as harmful or more harmful than cigarettes, and this type of misinformation needs to be countered to encourage adult smokers to switch to less harmful vapes.”
United Wholesale, JW Filshill and CJ Lang & Sons emerged as the stars of Scotland wholesale world in the recently held annual Scottish Wholesale Achievers Awards.
Achievers, now in its 22nd year and organised by the Scottish Wholesale Association, recognises excellence across all sectors of the wholesale industry and the achievements that have made a difference to individuals, communities and businesses over the last year.
Over 500 guests attended the Achievers gala dinner and awards presentation, hosted by sports broadcaster Eilidh Barbour, at the O2 Academy Edinburgh, on Thursday (20). Scotland’s Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands, Mairi Gougeon MSP, was in attendance and presented two awards.
The Supplier Sales Executive of the Year award was won by Craig Barr, regional business development manager at AG Barr, who the judges described as “absolutely dedicated to his company and his customers”.
Multiple winners on the night included United Wholesale (Scotland) – picking up Best Delivered Operation – Retail, Best Cash & Carry for its depot in Queenslie, Glasgow, Best Licensed Wholesaler – Off-Trade, and Best Marketing Initiative.
In the Best Cash & Carry category, the judges praised United’s “first-class customer service and shopping experience, with particularly impressive NPD activation and digital activity”.
They added: “It offers retailers advice, collaborates closely with suppliers, and has a dedicated and well-supported team.”
In Best Delivered Operation – Retail, while United claimed the title, the worthy runner-up, CJ Lang & Son, went on to win Best Symbol Group, with the judges pointing to the Dundee-based Spar business’s “excellent execution in-store, and its onboarding strategy and initiatives involving local communities” which made it stand out from its competitors.
Meanwhile, United’s “Spin To Win” concept entered for Best Marketing Initiative was described by the judges as a “game-changer and a fantastic way to generate excitement for a brand, drive footfall into depots, and gain distribution”, ensuring another accolade for the wholesaler’s award cabinet.
For west of Scotland wholesaler JW Filshill, it was “meeting its vast number of sustainability and environmental goals” that saw it take home the important Sustainable Wholesaler of the Year category – with the judges stating that the business has worked on several initiatives that have been “for the wider benefit of other wholesalers, suppliers and retailers”, with staff empowered by senior management to take the lead in driving sustainability initiatives.
In the two drinks categories, United Wholesale (Scotland) won Best Licensed Wholesaler with the judges pointing to its “incredible supplier and customer relationships” and pushing NPD in a tough market, helping suppliers and customers understand Scottish legislation and investing in its retailers – and having a “forward-thinking attitude in the digital space”.
Suppliers were recognised for their support of the wholesale sector with awards in categories including Best Overall Service and Best Foodservice Supplier – both won by soft drinks giant AG Barr.
Both of these awards involves wholesaler members of the SWA voting each month over a four-month period for the shortlisted suppliers.
AG Barr also shone in the Project Wholesale category for “The Great Transition”, its project to move all the sales from Barr Direct into the wholesale industry. And in a fun segment during Achievers, attendees watched five TV ads shortlisted by wholesalers across Scotland with the Best Advertising Campaign going to the supplier’s IRN-BRU – ‘Mannschaft’.
The event also recognised wholesale members Dunns Food and Drinks and JW Filshill, both of which are celebrating their 150th anniversaries in 2025.
SWA chief executive Colin Smith said, “Tonight is all about recognising and celebrating the exceptional achievements of not only businesses but also individuals in the Scottish wholesale channel, the gateway to Scotland’s food and drink industry.
“The people who work in wholesale are the glue that binds our food and drink industry together – be it those who work in partnership with our producers and suppliers, or those who help support, develop and deliver into the local retailer, hotel, school or hospital.
“Once upon a time, the wholesale industry largely flew under the radar of those in the corridors of power, but today, Scotland’s wholesale industry is far more widely recognised by MSPs and MPs alike for the vital role it plays in the food and drink supply chain.
“Every wholesaler, every supplier – be they local or national, large or small – are an essential cog in Scotland’s complex food and drink supply chain. That’s why is it more important than ever that we celebrate their success and recognise everything they do to ensure that food and drink reaches our plates and tables.”