Top 50 Indie HKS Retail has embarked on a joint venture with SPAR and Blakemore Trade Partners, with the opening of its first Spar forecourt store.

The 1,000 sq ft store, on the company’s BP-branded forecourt in Ashby Road, Ibstock, Leicestershire, has been completely refurbished and re-launched with a Spar fascia.

Blakemore Trade Partners provided support with store layout design and planning, imagery, range, category management, marketing and logistics and supply solutions.

HKS operations manager Chris Loach commented: “We decided to embark on this joint venture with Blakemore Trade Partners because of their flexible partnership approach and the breadth of support services they offer.

“At HKS we are continually seeking new ways to improve our services and develop our business, so we wanted a partner that we felt confident could help us to grow our retail estate.

"Blakemore Trade Partners have provided us with extensive business development support and we are already in talks to discuss our next Spar store conversion project, at our Sandringham forecourt site in Leicester, which we intend to rebuild. We hope to be able to extend our partnership with Blakemore Trade Partners to more of HKS Retail’s existing 27 sites in the future.”

Blakemore Trade Partners managing director Jerry Marwood commented: “We’re delighted to be working with HKS with a shared vision that will grow and develop their business. This collaboration is testament to the strength of our forecourt proposition and our ability to deliver it to key retailers such as HKS.”