With a business spanning generations and one that has witnessed several significant changes over the decades, County Armagh store JD Hunter & Co has long established itself as a reliable retail business across the whole county.

A destination store, it prides itself on catering for not just Markethill, but the wider rural area, with customers travelling some miles to avail of its offers and services.

The current shop, situated on the Mowhan Road, was built in 1999 and had subsequent development works carried out to it in 2012 before an extensive refurbishment was carried out in 2020. A £500,000 investment was carried out at this stage with new fridges and fruit and veg units brought in and new shelving fixtures installed.

The recent work saw fridge capacity updated and efficiency works carried out throughout the store, whilst making use of the most up-to-date equipment in the chill world.

As store manager, Chris McClure told NR, the works to upgrade and improve the store have been very well received by their shoppers.

“The customer response has always been very good, as we are always keen to improve that shopping experience for them. Investment into the local community supermarket breeds positivity,” said Chris.

The store now proudly stands at approximately 30,000 sq ft and employs 129 staff across full-time, part-time and student roles. With a range of USPs, not least their award-winning butchery department, JD Hunter & Co offers some stand-out services in their store, including an extensive hardware and gardening section and an in-store Post Office offering another point of difference.

“I think firstly our level of service to our local community and beyond is second to none, whilst being heavily involved in both social and charitable events,” said Chris.

“Our butchery/deli counter would be a major footfall driver with the vast majority of products being local and produced in-store. A deli/butchery counter the size of ours is quite rare in supermarkets currently and forms one of our unique offerings, with over 75% of our fresh produce being local sourced.”

It was this commitment to local sourcing and using top-quality ingredients which impressed the judges of this year’s Neighbourhood Retailer Awards, and they were quick to praise the butchery department for their efforts.

With an “exceptionally curated selection of premium meats and complementary items, all showcased in a sophisticated and organised setting” the judges were bowled over. “The staff were well trained and highly consultative, ensuring customers received great advice and information on the products,” they added.

“We source our meat from a number of suppliers with our biggest being our red meat supplier, Hewitt Meats Loughgall,” said Chris.

“We are also supplied by Pinkterons, Elliots, Rockvale, Carrs Elite Foods, Doherty & Gray, Grange Farm/Sprotts to name but a few. We have placed a massive emphasis on supporting and promoting locally sourced products which can be found throughout the shopping experience in-store.

“We were delighted to be there in person to accept such a prestigious award. We are humbled and honoured and would like to express our sincere gratitude to the Neighbourhood Retailer Awards for this incredible recognition.

“Adrian and our dedicated butchery team, with their hard work and dedicated, have thoroughly earned the right to call themselves Butcher of the Year.”

In the days following their win, the team at JD Hunter ran a variety of competitions, thanking customers for their support and celebrating their win.

“Feedback from customers has been excellent, with us even hosting a visit from the Irish Butchers’ Guild on 5^th November” added Chris.

“This was another proud moment for Adrian and our butchery team and a great opportunity for them to network with some of the most experienced butchers in the profession.

“Our social media competitions have been, as always, well supported as our butchery department moves from strength to strength.”

Having been owned and managed by the Henderson Group from 2019, in the summer of 2022 it was announced that South Belfast retailer and family-run business, the Creighton Group had acquired JD Hunter, with the takeover happening during August that year.

A well-known and popular independent retailer, the group is headed by brother-and-sister team Niall Creighton and Gail Boyd and operates three award-winning stores – Creightons of Finaghy, Creightons of Blacks Road and Creightons of Balmoral.

At the time of the takeover, Niall said expanding the company name was part of their business plan.

“We are honoured to have the opportunity to take over a store that has been family-run since the early 1900s, which mirrors our own family business,” he said.

Chris said he and the staff at JD Hunter had been equally delighted to have another family business at the helm.

“We as a team felt that it was important that ‘Hunters’ would remain a family-run independent business and were delighted to learn that the Creighton family would be taking over the business in 2022,” he said.

“The Creighton family have themselves been in business from 1936 and therefore have many similarities to the Hunter family who started their journey in 1920.

“We have been blessed to have been acquired by such a reputable, long-standing business like the Creighton family with Niall and Gail embedding those unique family values throughout the way we do business and serve our customers.”

READ THE FULL FEATURE ON JD HUNTER & CO IN THE NOVEMBER-DECEMBER ISSUE OF NEIGHBOURHOOD RETAILER HERE

The post JD Hunter – a cut above the rest first appeared on Neighbourhood Retailer.

The incident occurred on Wednesday 3^rd December at commercial premises at Agincourt Avenue at approximately 9.40pm.

A man entered the shop armed with a knife and demanded a staff member to open the till. He subsequently made off with a quantity of cash and was later located and arrested on suspicion of robbery, possession of an offensive weapon with intent to commit an indictable offence and possession of a controlled class C drug.

The 43-year-old man has since been charged to appear at court, charged with robbery and possession of an offensive weapon with intent to commit an indictable offence.

He is due to appear in Belfast Magistrates’ Court on Friday 5^th December. As is normal procedure all charges are reviewed by the Public Prosecution Service.

The post Man to appear in court following south Belfast shop robbery first appeared on Neighbourhood Retailer.

Retail trade union, Usdaw said it welcomed the confirmation from Naomi Long MLA that the offence for attacking public-facing workers would be introduced in Stormont as part of the Sentencing Bill.

The announcement came in response to a written question in the Assembly from Gerry Carroll MLA, with the legislation due to starts its passage through the Assembly in January.

Responding to the written question AQW 35402-22-27, Justice Minister Naomi Long said: “No-one should go to work fearing that they will face abuse.

“Although the Usdaw Freedom from Fear survey results do show a small decrease in number of instances reported, the high levels of abuse, threats and assaults faced by those working in retail remain unacceptable.

“I am fully committed to working with all partners, including businesses, the community and voluntary sector, PSNI, as well as other departments and organisations, to ensure that we continue to reduce these numbers.”

The Minister added that the new offence will carry a higher maximum penalty on conviction than the sentences currently available for similar less serious assault offences.

“Additionally, if a more serious assault offence is charged, I will make the fact that the victim is such a worker a statutory aggravating factor, meaning the courts will be required to reflect this specifically in the sentences imposed,” she said.

“These higher penalties will act as a significant deterrent and send the message that there is no place for these types of offences in our society.

“I intend to introduce this Sentencing Bill in January 2026, subject to Executive approval.”

Reacting to the response, Joanne Thomas, Usdaw general secretary welcomed the Justice Minister following through on her promise to legislate.

“We hope it will be well received in Stormont and will attract support from MLAs across the Assembly,” she said.

“Usdaw’s latest interim survey results have shown a welcome, but slight, downturn in the level of incidents retail workers are experiencing while doing their jobs. However, it remains shocking that nearly three-quarters of those working in retail are regularly facing abuse from customers, with far too many experiencing threats and violence.”

She added that a similar offence has already been passed in Scotland and is working its way through Westminster for England and Wales.

“We look forward to our members in Northern Ireland receiving similar protections,” she said.

“In the run up to Christmas, when the number of incidents increases as shops get busy and customers become frustrated, we are calling on the shopping public to ‘respect retail workers’ and ‘keep your cool’.

“This is a hugely important issue for our members and they are saying loud and clear that enough is enough.”

The post Minister’s commitment to standalone offence in Sentencing Bill welcomed first appeared on Neighbourhood Retailer.

UFU President William Irvine said the UFU is in close contact with the department as investigations continue.

“We met with DAERA’s veterinary officials to discuss the situation and the steps now in place following the detection of suspected Bluetongue,” said William Irvine.

“This is a serious disease, and we recognise the concern it will cause among farmers and the wider agri-food industry. Our priority is to stay fully informed as DAERA’s investigations progress and to ensure members receive accurate updates as more information becomes available.”

Meanwhile, the Agriculture Minister has said there will be “serious consequences” for the agri-food community here if the virus is not contained.

Speaking on Good Morning Ulster, Andrew Muir MLA said that while the disease doesn’t have an impact on food safety and public health, it has “potentially very serious consequences on agri-food and has caused real anxiety within the farming community”.

He added that the most important thing going forward was to “focus on the eradication of this”.

Mr Irvine said the UFU will continue to work with DAERA as the department implements control measures in line with the Bluetongue Disease Control Framework.

“DAERA has established a Temporary Control Zone and begun its response, and we appreciate the urgency of the situation,” he added.

“We are also calling on DAERA to communicate directly and quickly with all farmers inside the TCZ and to provide a dedicated helpline so that those affected can access clear advice on what these restrictions mean for their businesses. We will maintain regular engagement with the department in the days ahead and will communicate key developments to members as they are confirmed.”

The UFU is encouraging all farmers to remain vigilant for signs of Bluetongue and to follow official guidance issued by DAERA. Anyone with concerns should contact their private vet, local divisional veterinary office or the DAERA helpline.

The post UFU issues update on Bluetongue and new livestock restrictions first appeared on Neighbourhood Retailer.

It also confirmed the return of its popular ‘Big Thank You’ giveaway, following its successful summer debut, to thank retailers for their ongoing support.

Running from 1^st to 14^th December, the ‘Big Thank You’ will reward 40 lucky independent retailers with the choice of seven incredible prize options – including a Eurostar city break, Michelin Star culinary experience, and cricket hospitality.

This year’s festive draw line-up includes a £15 million Lotto ‘Must Be Won’ draw on Christmas Eve, supported by a nationwide advertising campaign across TV, press, online, and digital billboards from 18^th December. Retailers could see Lotto sales boosted by up to 178%* for the draw and are advised to site POS prominently from 15^th December and suggest tickets to customers.

The celebrations continue into the New Year with the EuroMillions 10 UK Millionaires draw on 2^nd January, backed by in-store POS from 25^th December. Retailers could see a 145%** uplift in EuroMillions sales and are encouraged to keep playslips topped up and Scratchcard dispensers full to maximise sales opportunities.

Scratchcards remain a key driver of in-store footfall, and Allwyn’s £7 million media campaign across November and December – featuring the playful new ‘Scratchcard-igans’ creative with Olympian Tom Daley – is designed to bring festive fun to retail. With Scratchcards exclusively available in-store, retailers are perfectly placed to benefit from the campaign’s reach and appeal.

There’s also a boosted rewards opportunity in December for National Lottery retailers, where they can earn a £30 reward instead of £10 for the month by uploading pictures of the festive POS on https://tnlpartners.co.uk.

Moreover, Allwyn has signed up to the National Council on Problem Gambling’s 2025 Gift Responsibly Campaign as a Level 3 sponsor – the highest level and a UK National Lottery first. The campaign raises awareness about the risks of youth gambling and reminds people that National Lottery products are for adults only.

As part of its commitment, Allwyn will feature the ‘18+ Gift Responsibly’ mark across festive gifting ads and is encouraging retailers to share the message with customers. This builds on Allwyn’s existing and extensive safeguards, including retailer training and its rigorous Operation Guardian mystery shopping programme, which helps prevent underage and excessive play.

Alison Acquaye-Acford, Director of Commercial Partnerships and Retail Sales at Allwyn said: “Retailers are central to our festive plans, with exclusive Scratchcards and three major event draws creating a huge opportunity to boost sales and spread some cheer.

“We’re urging them to make the most of POS, talk to customers about the draws, and join the fun of our Scratchcard-igans campaign. And with the return of our ‘Big Thank You’ prize giveaway from 1^st December, there’s even more reason to get involved and win incredible rewards. It’s the perfect way to end 2025 and kick off 2026 – for retailers, players, and the Good Causes they help support.”

To enter the ‘Big Thank You’, retailers simply need to log on to the TNL Partners Hub (https://tnlpartners.co.uk), visit the News Section, and complete the entry form before 11pm on Sunday 14^th December. The full list of prize options includes:

• Cricket hospitality tickets at the Oval or Edgbaston, including accommodation and travel allowance
• Tickets for Chesterton’s Polo in the Park at the Hurlingham Club, including accommodation and travel allowance
• Return Eurostar Plus tickets for two adults to Paris or Amsterdam, including accommodation, food, travel and excursion allowances
• A Michelin Star dining experience for four adults, including accommodation and travel allowance
• A home and garden bundle, including an Ooni outdoor pizza oven, Solo stove smokeless fire pit, Weber BBQ and Kettler Kalos Copper Floor Standing Patio Heater
• A home entertainment bundle, including a smart TV, soundbar, gaming chair and more
• A sport and fitness bundle, including a Mirafit home gym bundle, Garmin watch and membership, Apple AirPods and more

*Based on 25 Dec 2024 ‘Must Be Won’ draw sales vs base draw sales 11 Dec 2024 

 **Based on 31 Dec 2024 10 UK Millionaires draw vs base draw on 8 Oct 2024 

The post National Lottery retailers ready to unwrap festive sales boost and another ‘Big Thank You’ from Allwyn first appeared on Neighbourhood Retailer.