A Leicester forecourt shop has won a prize at the 12th annual Retail Development Awards at the Grosvenor House Hotel in Park Lane, London.

Kalpesh and Meeta Raja, who run the shop at Parker Drive Service Station in Beaumont Leys, won the category award for beer and cider and £750 in Bestway vouchers.

Meeta said her husband Kalpesh had been joint owner of the Texaco petrol station for 15 years but the couple had only taken over running the store about four years ago.

She said they had introduced a wide range of improvements and had been helped by Bestway and suppliers such as Coca-Cola and Carling.

The shop now provides a full convenience service including a 24-hour alcohol licence and cash machine. Meeta said: “We attended the Bestway Retail Development seminar earlier in the year and put into practice what we learned.

“For the entry we had to say what improvements we had introduced and how much sales increased and the judges were obviously impressed.” She said the layout was based on planograms and their display includes lots of offers. Price-marked packs are very popular.

She added: “This was the second year I had attended the seminar and I found it very helpful. Every year we learn something new because things are always happening in retail.”

Speaking at the awards, Bestway’s group chief executive Zameer Choudrey said: “Bestway and Batleys are proud to recognise the success of those individuals through the Retail Development Awards who have provided outstanding service and support to their local communities in the past 12 months. I congratulate all the winners and runners-up and wish them continued success. We must also remember the hundreds of retailers who will not be rewarded here tonight but have made giant strides in developing their own businesses through listening at the retail development seminars and taking those learnings back into their businesses.”

A total of 22 retailers won awards, sharing a prize fund of £32,000. Ishtiaq and Sadia Qureshi of Llanrumney Store in Cardiff took the title of Bestway Overall Retailer of the Year and the top prize of £10,000.

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