Staff who nominated Jonathan Fraser of Frasers Budgens in Yarnton for the Best Site Manager award said his love of the shop was infectious, so much so that it rubs off on them.
Sarah Clacher, who works in the Subway on the Yarnton site, says staff all feel valued and important.
"Jonathan’s eye for choosing and hiring quality staff who feel valued enough to give their best is particularly worthy of mention. The camaraderie is excellent. He constantly sets us mini targets and competitions and while these are fun, they are a clever way to keep us sharp and focused."
Other praise for Jonathan includes the fact that he is an excellent leader, is always approachable and has a great sense of humour.
"The store has achieved many awards during its short life which Jonathan, in his most generous way, insists belong to all of us," says Sarah.
Best Soft drinks outlet - sponsored by coca-cola enterprises
Awards’ judges were particularly grateful when they entered the Belton Central forecourt in Doncaster last summer. That’s because the weather was hot and the soft drinks were refreshingly cold. Owned by Suleman Patel, the store boasts an impressive range of soft drinks across all categories: colas, juices, waters, sports and energy. As well as a chilled offer, there are well-merchandised ambient displays.
Suleman describes Belton Central as the "perfect pit stop for motorists for hot and cold refreshments.
He’s also keen to refresh his customers of tomorrow by donating free refreshments to the school next door for events such as their Christmas party.
The entire site has been enjoying success with fuel volumes up 25% and shop sales having more than doubled.
best Tobacco outlet - sponsored by JTI
The judges were fulsome in their praise for Andrew MacDonald’s Refuel & Go Bradwell Service Station in Braintree, which picked up the Best Tobacco Display award. They said the knowledge of the tobacco category shown within the store couldn’t be faulted.
Andrew says staff have good product knowledge because they recognise the value of the category across the sector. "The supermarkets having to cover up their displays has given forecourts a great sales opportunity and we’ve been making the most of that. It always helps if staff are knowledgeable."
Part of the display area behind the tills has been devoted to e-cigarettes. It’s been a brilliant success, resulting in sales of more than £1,200 per month. Andrew says: "E-cigs were a big surprise; the sales seemed to just come out of nowhere. And, interestingly, our tobacco sales have not been affected. I don’t know if this is because the initial starter kits for e-cigs are quite expensive or whether people are using both types of products."
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