A.F. Blakemore, SPAR UK wholesaler in Wales, Central and South East England, held its annual 2024 SPAR Retail Show (SRS24) Awards at Telford International Centre with over 1,300 people attending the gala dinner and awards evening.

This event brought together retailers from SPAR’s Meridian & Welsh Guild to celebrate exceptional achievements and innovation in the convenience sector.

The SRS24 Awards event is cornerstone of A.F. Blakemore’s commitment to recognise and celebrate excellence of independent SPAR retailers who have demonstrated outstanding performance, customer service and innovation over the past year.

The event also raised funds for Marie Curie, Disability Sport Wales and The Blakemore Foundation.

Standout award winners

Jenny Donaghy and her team at SPAR Llandrinio took home The Baldwin Cup. The Baldwin Cup celebrates the very best stores across the Meridian & Welsh Guild region. Jenny Donaghy and her team at SPAR Llandrinio are passionate and innovative retailers exemplifying the brand values of SPAR. They continue to invest and innovate to reflect emerging trends and deliver consistent high standards.

The Big Investment Winner went to Dyfed and Alison Thomas at SPAR Llandyssul. This award will be invested in a full store refresh as Alison and Dyfed look to introduce a number of exciting initiatives and retail technology features into the store.

Tristan King won the Best Business Initiative Award. Tristan and the team analysed their King Family Stores and looked at their customer base to fully understand where sales opportunities lay or how to reduce costs. This initiative has paid off and the store has not only grown sales but decreased waste too.

Hash & Chan Shingadia, SPAR Upper Bucklebury, took home the Best Store Team Winner Award. Hash & Chan celebrate 25 years of trading this year. The couple have given a huge number of hours to volunteering and charitable events over the years.

The Community Engagement Award went to Raj Aggarwal, SPAR Western Downs. The team at SPAR Western Downs are fully engaged with their local community by taking part in cake sales, egg hunts, prize giveaways, raffle and festivals. Additionally, the retailer supported local foodbanks and churches with donations.

Passion for retail

“We are thrilled to recognise and celebrate the remarkable accomplishments of our independent SPAR retailers,” said Carol Welch, Chief Executive Officer at A.F. Blakemore & Son Ltd. “These awards highlight the dedication, passion and hard work of our SPAR retailers who are not only setting the bar for excellence in convenience but also driving the industry forward with their innovative approaches and unwavering commitment to their local communities.”

Source: A.F. Blakemore & Son Ltd.

Read more about SPAR UK

About SPAR UK

The United Kingdom became a SPAR member in 1956 when SPAR International granted the SPAR licence to a group of independent wholesalers. There are five regional organisations in the UK, continually building the brand’s presence. A central office in London provides national marketing and buying services for the group. SPAR UK comprises independently owned, licensed, retailers and company-owned stores.