Cracking Christmas

The retailers' favourite time of year?

Help and advice from jac roper

Digging deep into reserves

Highway to success

The main route category was hotly contested in the Forecourt Trader  of the Year Awards. amy lanning catches up with the winners

Trouble up North

The North East has never had it so bad, according to Top 50 Indie Phil Richardson, of Park Road Group, who has eight Total-branded sites around Newcastle. He says the situation for independent fuel retailers in the area is dire, and the outlook doesn't look any better. "Fuel volumes around here are significantly down," he says. "In one week my sites were at best 16% down and at worst 28% down compared with last year. And the volume seems to be gone for good.

Clutter-free, versatile jet wash wows the Popats

European Wash Systems has installed an innovative rack-mounted jet wash for independent retailers Ken and Rekha Popat at Barking Service Station in Essex.

Spar signs shelf deal

Spar UK has joined forces with shelving unit supplier CAEM in a bid to bring bottom-line savings in shelf-fitting costs to Spar retailers nationwide.

DVDs take star turn

Independent forecourt Peterhead Motors has seen footfall grow and store sales rise since installing a state-of-the-art DVD rental machine.

InfoCash expands

Independent ATM supplier InfoCash has acquired the business and assets of competitor Cashbox plc.

Nestlé takes novelty to the next level this spring

Nestlé has made some novel additions to its spring confectionery range for 2011 to help retailers make the most of the longest spring season since 1943.

A runaway success

Müllerlight 'Inspired by...' New York-style cheesecake-flavour yogurt is now available in a single pot. Rrp is 64p. The launch follows the runaway success of the desserts sub-range which was introduced this summer. The product combines thick and creamy tasting fat-free yogurt with cake pieces with each pot containing 105 calories or less.