Maxol, Northern Ireland’s family-owned forecourt and convenience retailer, says that it has created a “blueprint for modern day roadside retail” with its £3.6 million redevelopment of its Belvoir Service Station in Belfast.
The six month project at the Milltown Road location introduces green touches, premium fuels on a newly-configured forecourt, and a larger Spar store with a Delish Deli counter, and self-serve Chicken Bar with freshly prepared hot food to take away.
The newly expanded forecourt now has 51 car parking spaces including four accessible parking bays. Premium fuels have been introduced to enable customers to make greener motoring choices, and Pay at Pump technology is now available, giving fuel customers a more convenient way to pay for fuel and car wash at the pumps. Also a new drive-thru car wash has been re-located to the rear of the site.
Technology has been used to reduce the site’s carbon footprint with solar panels, solar efficient glazing, the use of LED lights, low energy CO2 refrigeration systems with doors fitted throughout the store; exhaust air-heat pump technology to reduce heating loads, and an energy management system to monitor and control the overall energy usage on the site.
Maxol Belvoir is operated under license by Maxol’s retail partner, the Henderson Group. The store is nearly three times the size of before, offering everyday grocery essentials, an extensive display of fresh local produce, a wide range of dairy and chilled produce and a large selection of frozen foods. A new locally produced range of pre-packed butchery items and a selection of ready-made meals is also on offer.
Other new additions include an in-store bakery with pastries and sweet treats. The Barista Bar coffee area has doubled to two units, and there is a modern seating area.
Non-food items include a comprehensive range of Maxol own-brand engine oils, AdBlue and car care products.
There are new customer toilets,and in-store technology includes three self-checkouts, and electronic shelf-edge (ESL) labelling.
Maxol says the investment is part of a wider £84 million five-year programme that it is delivering across its growing network to meet the increasing demand for convenience-led forecourt services that include coffee, groceries and food-to-go.
Brian Donaldson, chief executive of The Maxol Group, says: “It’s exciting to see our investment programme deliver another service station of the future. The opening of Maxol Belvoir sees the continued rollout of our sustainable forecourt design and demonstrates our ongoing commitment to being a more sustainable forecourt convenience retailer, offering only the highest quality of facilities and products.”
He adds: “This is what modern roadside retail looks like. We’ve focused on the food and convenience offer so that customers can now pop in throughout the day for a grab-and-go breakfast or lunch from the Delish Deli, a barista-style coffee or they can do a basket shop for any meal occasion in our newly expanded Spar store, which is packed with grocery essentials as well as drinks, snacks and treats.”
Mark McCammond, retail director at Henderson Group adds: “Maxol has invested in transforming this popular site with facilities that cater directly to their target customers who are seeking convenience, value and quality, bringing their roadside retail strategy together with our Spar NI brand. Not only will commuters benefit from their sustainable forecourt and food and coffee to go options, but residents in the area can choose from an extended range of fresh, locally sourced products for tonight’s tea.”
