Spar forecourt growth

A Rontec forecourt store in Slough has become the 100th new Spar store supplied by Blakemore Trade Partners since the start of its 2014/15 financial year. Blakemore Trade Partners has also begun to fulfil its Spar contract with Euro Garages, so far servicing eight sites, but by the end of the 2015 calendar year this number will increase to 103, making Euro Garages Blakemore Trade Partners’ largest national account customer.

Certas charity donation

Certas Energy has donated £1,677 from the sale of plastic bags at its 21 company owned filling stations across mainland Scotland (during October 2014 to April 2015), to the Stroke Association in Scotland. In October 2014, the Scottish Government introduced a 5p charge for all single-use carrier bags, and Certas approached its employees to select a charity to receive the funds.

Living wage warning

The future survival of thousands of convenience stores will be jeopardised by the introduction of the national living wage in April 2016, according to The Association of Convenience Stores (ACS). New research by ACS shows that the total cost of a £7.20 national living wage will be £166m across the convenience sector, and more than 24,000 stores and 80,000 jobs could be put at risk.

North Wales crackdown

An operation to disrupt the sale and supply of illegal tobacco in North Wales uncovered more than 1.6 million cigarettes, as well as seizures of suspect hand-rolling tobacco alcohol. Around 40 officers from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), with support from North Wales Police, UK Border Agency, and trading standards officers, visited 55 premises 14-16 July.