With a long history in the area the Woolsey family has served its customers faithfully for generations. Originally a shop in a dwelling house opened by Ellie and Jimmy Woolsey in 1960, they subsequently opened a filling station in 1961.

In 1987 the shop moved over and opened as one site with the filling station and as the business grew, renovations were carried out in 1995, 2006 and most recently in 2025.

A £1.3 million investment was carried out last year which included an extension and refurbishment, while the store officially opened under the Centra brand.

The current shop is in its fourth generation run by the Woolsey family, with the shop now run by Don and his two sons, James and Gordon, as well as Don’s grandchildren who are also involved in working in the shop.

Having started as an independent, the family have worked with a number of well-known and trusted symbol brands over the years and in October 2024 signed with Musgrave for a 10-year contract under the Centra brand.

“The extension was a result of the new 10-year partnership under the Centra brand,” Gordon told NR. “The work started in June 2025 and was completed in May 2025.

“Some of the main elements of the refurbishment included additional space for the shop and parking, an increased product range, a specially chilled range as well as more aisle space and improved lighting for customers.

“We have also added a hot and cold deli, a Frank & Honest coffee machine, and we relocated the Post Office to the checkout area. Additionally, as a result of customer feedback, we are now open seven days a week from November last year.

“Customer feedback has been very encouraging and positive, with increased product offering and increased opening hours, the new deli and larger shopping aisles have space for wheelchairs and buggies, and the larger car park has also been welcomed.”

Now standing at almost 3000 sq ft, there are 22 staff employed, while their forecourt is under the EMO brand. This offers two pumps with petrol and diesel, while at the rear of the shop they also supply red diesel and home heating oil.

Additional features and services include a clothes bank for local charity Helping Hands, air and water and a household fuel store providing coal, blocks, sticks, gas and turf. These extensive offerings have all been greatly welcomed by the local community and it is this commitment and dedication that secured Scotch Street Filling Station the Community Store of the Year award at the 2025 NR Awards.

“It meant a lot to win this award as we invest heavily in the local community, supporting the local area including primary school, youth and community centre and community events throughout the year,” said Gordon.

“So, to be rewarded with this prestigious award was both humbling and exciting to celebrate our achievements and to share with the wider staff team.

“Staff were delighted and customers congratulated us in the days following the awards. It really helped showcase our new store and brought some further custom to our business,” added Gordon.

READ THE FULL FEATURE ON SCOTCH STREET FILLING STATION IN THE 2026 NEIGHBOURHOOD RETAILER YEARBOOK  HERE

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Friday 17^th October 2025 was a notable date for the Creighton Group owners and their whole team with all four of their stores claiming top awards at the Neighbourhood Retailer Awards.

With the original store, Creightons of Finaghy named as Neighbourhood Store of the Year Cat 2 and its manager, Alan Gilliland awarded the Store Manager of the Year title, there were further accolades during the evening for Creightons of Blacks Road which was awarded the Forecourt of the Year Cat 1 title; Creightons of Balmoral claimed the Food to Go Store of the Year and their most recent acquisition, JD Hunter & Co in Markethill was named the 2025 Butcher of the Year.

All-in-all it was a night to remember for Niall Creighton, Gail Boyd and the entire team, ahead of a year which marks a major milestone for the company as it looks forward to celebrating its 90^th anniversary in 2026 – the Creighton Group has cemented itself as one of the top retail businesses in the province.

Forward thinking, innovation and investment keeps the Group at the top of its game, ensuring continued growth and development.

“We have a group of store managers who are dedicated, who have an attention to detail and are very driven,” Andrew Porter told NR.

“We work hard and we have great staff and the business owners are very supportive.

“It was a very pleasant shock to have all four stores win at the NR Awards. We are big supporters of the awards, and we know they are very hard to win because a lot of stores enter and they are all competitive.”

In this special feature, Andrew discusses the success at the three Belfast stores and future plans for investment and developments.

READ THE FULL FEATURE ON THE CREIGHTON GROUP IN THE 2026 NEIGHBOURHOOD RETAILER YEARBOOK  HERE

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Marking a £4 million investment, the brand-new convenience store and forecourt in Carn marks a somewhat bold move for the Wilson family.

Experienced retailers, with father Eamonn opening his first store on the Garvaghy Road in Portadown in 1994, the family-run business, which also includes Peter’s brother, Andrew as one of the owners, is a long-established and widely regarded one within the area.

Wanting to expand the business, they purchased their new site at Carn back in 2021, eager to bring new services and offerings to the vast swathe of workers based at the industrial estates.

“We felt there was a need out here that was not being met,” explained Peter.

“It is an industrial area and there are not a lot of chimney pots in the traditional sense, but there are a lot of businesses and workers, and we are catering for those.

“It was a long time getting to the actual build. My dad has had a store in Portadown which traded as a Costcutter from 1994 to 2020, when they renovated and changed to SuperValu.

“Around that time, we bought this site here and we finally got through the planning process at Christmas last year. We started work on the site about two months later and opened the store 32 weeks later, on 16^th September.

“There were no hold-ups during the build, everything went as smoothly as it could, thankfully. We used MSM Contracts in Portadown and they were very very good to us, and it all went well.”

Ideally located next to the Carn and Seagoe industrial estates, the new store boasts a large hot deli and fresh salad and sandwich bar, alongside extensive hot and cold, grab and go options.

There is also an extensive Frank and Honest coffee dock, with three machines and includes a range of coffees including iced as well as oat milk options. The dock also features 100% compostable coffee cups, plastic-free coffee capsules and Rainforest Alliance Certified coffee beans, while shoppers can also avail of a digital loyalty app and get a free coffee after earning 10 digital stamps.

Additionally there is an off licence, in-store bakery offering pastries, breads and scones and a Moo’d ice cream counter.

A particularly special asset for the store is the wide selection of ready-meals as well as their very own butchery range.

“We have our own Wilson’s Butchery just two miles away, so we are getting our prepacked range topped up a couple of times a day,” said Peter.

“We also have a big range of heat and eat items. Our store is a food-to-go driven store, given our location and there is a large deli counter.

“With our own ready-meal selection and butchery range, we’re here to serve the needs of those who both live and work in the area,” added Peter. “Whether it’s a quick bite, a family dinner, or the weekly shop, we’re committed to offering quality and convenience to the local community.”

The family opened the store to the public on Tuesday 16^th September with a full hard launch, inviting customers to the new facility with a host of welcoming offers including a spin and win wheel, free gift bags, gift vouchers, free samples and more.

As a Circle K forecourt, they enjoyed the added bonus just a few days later of one of the fuel company’s regular fuel day offers, Peter said.

“It was by complete coincidence that Circle K were running their cheaper fuel day offer and so it tied in really well with us just being opened,” he said.

“We had people coming who were only initially wanting to avail of the Circle K offer and then they called into the store as well, so there were lots of feet in the store across those early days.”

Their forecourt has eight pumps, two of which are high-speed HGV pumps, along with diesel and ad blue, giving those working in the two industrial estates the opportunity to fuel their cars before or after work.

“It’s beneficial for a lot of businesses in the industrial estate and for people topping up either in the morning or evening, going to and from work. You would have people filling up before they head north to Belfast or also if they’re heading west,” said Peter.

The support from customers in the early stages has continued with a very positive response from the area to the store, which is all very encouraging, as Peter explained.

“As a family, we were standing in the shop the night before, it was all cleaned, everything was ready to go and we looked around and thought it looked fantastic, and at the same time we were all hoping that we would get the customer base.

“When you open a greenfield site, you are taking a risk but the response and the feedback have been great.

“We have learned a lot over the first month,” he added.

“When you open a store you are forecasting what you will do, but now we know what our customers are asking for and what they want, so it’s about doubling down and expanding on those ranges and giving them more options, be it seasonal options as we approach Christmas or expanding what we have already.”

READ THE FULL FEATURE ON WILSON’S CENTRA CARN IN THE NOVEMBER-DECEMBER ISSUE OF NEIGHBOURHOOD RETAILER HERE

The post Wilson’s Centra – bringing convenience to Carn first appeared on Neighbourhood Retailer.

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 crowded Grand Ballroom erupted into cheers when Milestone Rathfriland was named the 2025 Retailer of the Year at this year’s NR Awards.

For a record-breaking fifth time, Tom and Ann McAvoy and the team at Milestone were awarded the most prestigious title in Northern Ireland retail – a remarkable success and one that goes down in the history books.

Almost four decades in the business, Tom and the whole team at Milestone Rathfriland do not rest on their laurels, continuing to lead the charge on innovation and setting the standards in the grocery industry in Northern Ireland.

Indeed, judges heaped praise on the store, highlighting how it had distinguished itself through its “superior and diverse range”, balancing popular essentials with specialised and bespoke goods, including many crafted on-site.

“This expansive selection is complemented by an unfailingly excellent service culture, which has fostered powerful customer loyalty and guaranteed a positive shopping journey,” said the judges.

“Furthermore, this is a business that takes its role in the community seriously, actively investing in resources that, in turn, fuels the store’s sustained success.”

Milestone Rathfriland secured two more trophies on Friday 17^th October, with a win as Fresh Food Store of the Year and Neighbourhood Store of the Year Category 3, further cementing their status as the retailer to beat. As Tom explained to NR during a visit to the store, they were delighted to win the Fresh Food Store award as this category is where they have focused over the last few years.

“We were hoping to win the fresh food award as we have worked hard on that,” said Tom.

“Fresh is a big sales driver in the store and it’s something we have focused on growing and delivering on for our customers.”

Having opened in 1988, Tom has seen many changes and developments within the industry in the last 37 years, with the growth of fresh food amongst them.

“There has definitely been a big push towards more fresh food offering. It’s a way of hunting for more business – if you do not do that you are limiting yourself in getting people in.”

Milestone Rathfriland started life as a small filling station with a kiosk, bought some 37 years ago by Tom, who was an engineer by trade. He has previously admitted to not intending to stay in the business for long, aiming to get it up and running before moving on. However, once he got immersed into the business he couldn’t leave.

“I really do enjoy it and it’s all-consuming, but it’s rewarding at the same time,” Tom previously told NR. “If I don’t keep pushing, it gets boring, so that’s why we keep trying to innovate and in turn, elevate the business.”

With a background in engineering, it has always ensured he has a great interest in machinery and production lines, experimenting with the latest machines and demonstrating those machines to other retailers.

Over the years, there has been an increasing demand from customers who want restaurant-quality food, ready-made for them to take home and Milestone Rathfriland has been ahead of the curve on this, with the business going from strength to strength with continual investment and development in these areas.

With a plan to continue developing their food to go and fresh food elements of the business, this has been a key focus for the team at Milestone and it has been reaping rewards. Over the last few years they have claimed awards wins in Food to Go, Store of the Year Cat 4 and Retailer of the Year – cementing an already well-established status as one of the top retailers in Northern Ireland.

Renowned across the region and indeed throughout Ireland and GB, Tom has put the success of the store down to their ability to provide several services under one roof, with a comfortable setting, a place to meet, greet, eat and shop all in one exceptional space.

Milestone Rathfriland proudly stands at an impressive 16,000 sq ft, a bright, modern store that works hard to serve the local community as well as enjoying custom from shoppers who travel from further afield.

Following an extensive renovation and expansion, Tom and Ann opened the larger store in 2014, however they continue to move with the times, and over the last 11 years they have continued to upgrade and modernise the store.

READ THE FULL FEATURE ON MILESTONE RATHFRILAND IN THE NOVEMBER-DECEMBER ISSUE OF NEIGHBOURHOOD RETAILER HERE

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