Store profiles
Appley Bridge
This store was purchased by the company in 1995 but had been a Spar shop since it was originally built 20 years ago.
It is the main food and drink store in the village and has one of the company's top performing off licences.
Unfortunately in 1999 we had a severe fire at the premises causing the store to close for several weeks. It was caused by vandals pushing lighted paper through the letter box – if you have ever wondered why we no longer have letter boxes at our stores, now you know!
Blackpool
This was another existing Spar store that we purchased in 1998.
The store was in a very poor state and the company invested a lot of time in money upgrading the store and changing the layout. The current success of the store is illustrated by the fact that the opening of local competition has not had any serious impact on the performance of the store.
Bolton
The company first entered Bolton in May 1989 introducing a Spar store onto Morris Green Lane. In 1991 the opportunity to purchase our current store arose and in 1994 the post office was incorporated into the store.
Bowerham, Lancaster
This was our 26th store, purchased in October 2003. The store services the large student population in the local area.
The company spent a lot of money upgrading the existing store and our initial instincts that this could be a very successful store were proven by the dramatic increase in sale in the first 12 months.
Broadfield Drive, Leyland.
The company purchased this store in 1985.
It was the first store that had an off-licence and, as such, was the first store where we launched the '8 till late' concept. Such was the success of the idea that the company adopted the policy across its then 6 stores and the rest, as they say, is history!
A centralised meat, bacon and cooked meat packing and bakery operation was run at various stages until 1992. However, new regulations and a desire to concentrate on developing the retail side of the business led to a discontinuation of these operations. This is the only time in the company's history that it had to make the difficult decision to make a number of employees redundant.
Burscough
The premises at Burscough was purchased in 1992 when it was a petrol forecourt, showroom and workshop. The workshop was closed and the showroom converted into the current Spar store.
Due to the restricted size of the forecourt it proved difficult to run the fuel operation in a profitable manner and this, together with the every increasing regulatory requirements, led to the decision to decommission it in 2002. The resultant increase in car parking spaces has helped the shop go from strength to strength
Chorley
In November 1996 the company took a lease on 2 shop units and combined them into what is now the Chorley store.
Coppull
The company purchased this store, which had previously been a car sales showroom and workshop, in March 1985. The store was also extended a few years later to its current size.
The latest refit has changed the interior layout and created more space for office and staff facilities.
Eaves Lane, Chorley
This store, an existing Spar shop, was purchased in September 1996. The initial store was very restrictive in terms of size and layout and a major re-fit was needed to bring the store up to date.
We subsequently took the opportunity to purchase the local Londis business, combine the two stores, and move to a much larger premises where sales grew immediately.
Fulwood, Preston.
We bought this existing store in 1989. Whilst the store has had a lot of problems with vandalism and local competition, it has the benefit of the largest car park of any of our stores and its performance is improving.
We added a post office to the store in 1999.
Hough Lane, Leyland
This store was initially a Crown Post office (the main Leyland post office). We purchased the store in March 1994 and spent six years opening up the building to accommodate a Spar store.
Lancaster.
This store, purchased in 1992, was the first store we bought in the Lancaster area. We carried out a large extension, and major refit, to bring the store up to our standards.
The store has since undergone a second refit and is performing well, despite local competition.
Longton.
This was the second store we opened, in 1960, some 14 years after the first store at Walmer Bridge!
Built as one of a parade of four units it was originally less than one quarter of the size it is today. Originally managed by Lawrence Hunt, it incorporated a home order assembly and delivery service.
It has been extended three times over the years but is still the smallest store we own. Its performance continues to improve, despite the opening of a supermarket nearby.
Lostock Hall.
This was the company's third purchase, back in 1967.
The original store, the first Spar store in Preston, was 2/5ths the size of the current one and was the conversion of two houses. It was extended, by purchasing and converting 3 further houses, to the size it is today. A post office was added in 1995.
Lytham
This existing Spar store was purchased in 2001.
It has undergone a major refit and is now seen as our flagship store.
Main Road, Bolton Le Sands.
Purchased in 2001, it was called Main Road to avoid confusion with our Bolton store. Previously a Bookers Best Buy store, it is a very old building which presented us with plenty of problems when we tried to develop it – leaking roof, rotten beams and damp to name but a few!
The location of the store, and layout of the local village, make it a challenging store to run.
Morecambe.
We purchased this existing store in 1994, our second store in the Lancaster/Morecambe area.
A refit and addition of a post office have helped develop and improve the performance of this store.
Openshaw Drive, Blackburn.
Penwortham, Preston
We purchased this store in 1987 when it was a car accessories and parts store. A year later we moved the head office function to the offices above the store, from its previous location at Walmer Bridge.
The store has been influenced by the continuous opening and closing of local competition.
Plungington, Preston
Built by James Hall & Company (Southport) Limited, this store was opened in 1985.
Much of the store's business comes from students at the local university and the company experimented with 24 hour opening at this store, via both a fully opened store and serving through a hatch. However, this eventually proved unsuccessful and has since been discontinued – 24 hour opening is not in place at any of our stores.
Runsahw Lane, Euxton.
This store, our 5th, was opened in 1970 and a post office was added in 1996. It has proved to be a very successful store.
Scale Hall, Lancaster.
This existing Spar store was purchased in 1997.
It was originally a very small store, at 1400sq ft, but has since been extended and undergone a very successful refit.
Standish.
Opened from new in 1982, our Standish store has had to compete with ever-changing local competition.
However, numerous refits, and a partnership with Subway in 2005, have ensured that the store has remained a viable one.
Talbot Drive, Euxton.
Talbot Row, our fourth store, developed from scratch when Lawrence Hunt's father retired from the business in 1969. We opened it in 1970 as a village supermarket, before the days of 'convenience.' At the time, it was a huge commitment for the company from a financial perspective.
Some twenty years later, when we moved to the other side of the road, 'Talbot Row' came to an end and 'Talbot Drive' commenced and we have been there ever since.
Tarleton.
This store was purchased in 1983. Next door to the premises was a motor spares shop which we have since moved into and turned into a post office. A nearby newsagents business was also purchased and incorporated into the Spar store.
As the nearest supermarkets are some miles away, this store has maintained a broader range of goods than most of our other stores.
Walmer Bridge.
This is the site of the original store bought by Kevin Hunt's grandfather some years ago in 1946.
The original store was demolished and the one you see today built in 1978. The upstairs was originally used as the company's head office before being moved to Penwortham.
Keeping the store upgraded, and the closure of local competitors, have helped the store go from strength to strength over the years.
Whelley, Wigan.
This store was purchased in 1989 as an existing Spar shop.
A successful store but one which is a challenge to manage given the restrictive stock room space.
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