Opened in 1950 by Norman Watt, the site started out as a car repair garage which also sold fuel from one small hand-operated pump. An important part of the local community, Norman carried out a rebuild of the facility in the 1960s.

Owned and run by the family, Watts SPAR in Ballyclare is now a third-generation business.

Over its 76 years of trading, the site and store have grown significantly, with two iterations, including a rebuild in 2000, and a change of format last year.

A complete knockdown and rebuild of the store was carried out in 2000, when the previously unbranded store became a Costcutter for approximately 20 years, before rebranding as SPAR in May 2021.

“We have always been in the same location,” said Darryl. “Five years ago we purchased an adjacent site that had been a funeral home, and we then incorporated the two sites into one.

“It had been disused for a number of years, and we went through the planning process, which took four years. With the support of the local council and councillors, plus invaluable input from Henderson Group, we were able to create a store which not only supports our customers but transforms the visual impact at the town entrance.

“The store more than doubled in size from 2,421 sq ft to 4,370 sq ft. We significantly increased our hot and cold deli, and made-in-store food-to-go offering, as we wanted to emphasise our dedication to providing fresh, locally sourced, quality produce and food. This is one of our key goals.”

The new-look store, which was under renovation for nine months, has also provided 16 new jobs for the area, including both on the shop floor and in the deli.

The investment has resulted in an expansion of Watts Deli, serving breakfast and lunch to go, as well as sandwiches, wraps, salads, ready meals, and sweet treats all made in store. Working closely with local suppliers, the store offers treats from Dougie’s Goodies, The Cake Box, and French Village Bakery, as well as from Stanley’s Butchery and potatoes from Rooney’s.

In addition to accessible essential services such as PayPoint, Lottery, and an external ATM, the store offers a wide selection for shoppers on the go, including a Barista Bar coffee machine and a self-serve ice cream machine.

“We also considerably changed our forecourt,” said Darryl.

“It was always very tight and difficult for customers to get in and out of, and now it’s nice and airy and very open. We have 26 parking spaces, and we made the decision to make the car parking spaces bigger and give more room per space. We have had a lot of positive feedback.

“We are with BP for fuel because they are a quality provider and offer ultimate guides to fuel. We thought that it partnered well with the SPAR brand because it’s a quality offering rather than the lowest-cost option.

“The feedback from customers has all been very, very positive,” added Darryl. “They are very happy with it and have given extremely good feedback.”

With 24 staff employed across part-time and full-time roles, Darryl thanked them all for their hard work, including three members of staff who have been with them for over 20 years.

“Having those familiar faces goes a long way for customers,” said Darryl.

“Staff training is something we are careful about. We are very conscious of our food hygiene, especially in our deli and food-to-go sections, and we use the Henderson Training Academy, which offers excellent and thorough training, keeping everyone up to speed.”

Inevitably, there are the all-too-familiar industry challenges, from staffing to business costs, with Darryl explaining they have worked extremely hard to make the store as energy-efficient as possible.

“The cost of electricity has become significant. We have tried to mitigate that through the use of solar panels, heat recovery systems, very efficient refrigeration systems, and fully automated lighting.

“We have tried to make the building as efficient as possible in terms of heating and insulation. It’s as efficient as it can be, and our electricity bills are still very expensive,” said Darryl.

“The changes and increases in National Insurance have had a massive impact and have forced us to look at more automation, such as self-scans, electronic shelf-edge labels, and Glory automatic cash handlers, in an effort to mitigate staff costs,” he added.

“All retailers are facing the exact same problems. Staff costs and the ability to recruit staff are the biggest problems for us. We are finding it very difficult to get staff.”

However, there are still positives to look forward to, as well as reflecting on the success of the business as it fast approaches eight decades serving the local community.

READ THE FULL FEATURE ON WATTS BALLYCLARE IN THE APRIL ISSUE OF NEIGHBOURHOOD RETAILER HERE

The post Watts SPAR Ballyclare powers through for next generation first appeared on Neighbourhood Retailer.

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

The post Award-winning formula reaps success for Creightons first appeared on Neighbourhood Retailer.

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.