Peter Blakemore, managing director of AF Blakemore and Son, has been presented with a prestigious award in recognition for his outstanding contribution to Spar International.

AF Blakemore and Son was founded in 1917 when Arthur and Harriet Blakemore opened a counter-service grocery store in Wolverhampton. Peter joined the family business in 1965 and is the third generation of the Blakemore family to lead the company.

Today, the 100-year-old company is the the 39th largest privately owned business in the UK, and consists of nine trading divisions spanning across the retail, wholesale, food service, logistics and shop fitting sectors.

There are 15 petrol filling stations, selling Jet, BP, Texaco and BP fuel, among its 300 Spar retail sites and its 14 cash and carry depots and delivered wholesale operation serve many other forecourt sites and groups.

Peter Blakemore has been a director on the Spar UK board for more than 40 years with 20 years as the chairman, and has served as a member of the board of Spar International for 12 years.

Speaking about award, Spar International managing director Tobias Wasmuht said: “The van Well Medal is the highest honour within the worldwide Spar organisation.

“In over 85 years of Spar’s proud history, the van Well medal has been awarded only 23 times in recognition of individuals whose contribution to the Spar has been exemplary and personify the Spar values and ideals that all shall benefit from mutual co-operation as set out by our founder and the first person to be recognised by the van Well medal, Adriaan van Well himself.

“Peter has contributed greatly to Spar in the UK and Internationally. His extraordinary energy and enthusiasm and commitment to his colleagues, his customers, his community and Spar International exemplifies this principle.”

Peter Blakemore is stepping down from the board of Spar International. His position will be taken by Dominic Hall, deputy managing director of James Hall & Co, which includes 33 BP, Shell and Texaco filling stations in the north of England among its Spar retail and wholesale business.

Topics