The current Joint Executive Chairs of the Group were awarded their MBEs for services to business and the community.

The former MDs of the company joined the business 40 years ago after graduating from Ulster University. The pair succeeded their father, John Agnew CBE, as Joint Managing Directors of the Group in 1998, positions they held until 2025.

Speaking of their honours, Martin and Geoffrey said they were honoured to accept the awards on behalf of all their colleagues in the Henderson Group, as well as their retailers, trade customers and suppliers.

“Without their contribution, the business would not have grown in the way it has over the last 40 years,” they said.

“We acknowledge the guidance of our father, John Agnew CBE and our late grandfather, W.A. Agnew, who both set the standard and values for this business, including the practice of stewardship. As God has blessed us and this business, so we seek to make a lasting difference to the communities in which we trade.”

Under their stewardship, Henderson Group has made capital investments of around £300 million, developing an estate that includes world-class logistics infrastructure and over 500 Company owned and independent retail stores serving communities across Northern Ireland.

Today, Henderson Group is one of the North’s most significant employers, recently surpassing 6,000 employees and contributing £167 million in wages to the local economy each year.

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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

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The Markethill store – which was named Butcher of the Year at the 2025 Neighbourhood Retailer Awards – has been taken over by the privately-owned family business based in Mallusk, with the transaction completing on 5^th May.

The store will become part of the Henderson Retail portfolio, with the company planning to invest £2.5 million into the store in the coming months.

Hunters of Markethill employs 128 staff members, who will remain with the business after the transfer of ownership.

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 the store, 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.

With a business spanning generations, ‘Hunters’ has long established itself as a reliable retail business across the whole county, with customers travelling some miles to avail of its offers and services.

Mark McCammond, Managing Director at Henderson Retail Ltd, said the company plans to build on what is an already excellent proposition.

“Hunters of Markethill has a tremendous history and heritage of providing significant local employment, supporting local suppliers and giving fantastic value and service to local shoppers for over 100 years,” he said.

“Our plan is to further strengthen that reputation with a significant investment to revamp the store and enhance the shopper experience. We will work with local suppliers to further extend the range of products and services particularly in the area of fresh foods.

“Our commitment to growing our fresh food offering has been a major strategic goal over the last 15 years and we seek to build on the excellent proposition already on offer in the store.

“As an award-winning community retailer, we look forward to engaging with the local community and supporting local initiatives in the coming months and years.”

Niall Creighton and Gail Boyd from the Creighton Group said: “On behalf of the Creighton Group, we would like to thank all the staff, customers and the wider community of Markethill for all their support and take this opportunity to sincerely wish everyone, and Henderson Retail, every success in the future as they invest in and further modernise this wonderful store.”

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The brand will once again have a huge presence at the Show for 2026 with their on-site SPAR store packed full of everyday essentials, alongside a fresh range of sandwiches and wraps, treats and Barista Bar coffee to go.

The Big Red Stetsons are also making their return, with thousands of hats available for visitors to wear throughout the Show and take home, by donating to Marie Curie and Cancer Fund for Children at the SPAR Marquee.

Visitors can also experience a free family fun trail around the Showgrounds, and enjoy the mini Land Rover experience, proudly sponsored by SPAR NI, while closing out the Show on Saturday afternoon, Rock Choir will sing from the SPAR Marquee and store at 2.30pm.

Bringing the flavour to the Show are the all new SPAR NI locally produced own label products that will be available for visitors to sample, all freshly served up by Carl Johannesson, the chef behind the label.

Visitors can look forward to tasting locally sourced salt & chilli sizzle steaks, perfectly crispy chicken, fresh summer sides and inspiring meal ideas from Carl. The SPAR range also offers a range of desserts, traybakes, buns and puddings, all of which can be sampled at the Show to finish with something sweet.

The products are part of a £1.3m investment by Henderson Wholesale, which supplies SPAR, EUROSPAR and ViVO, working with hundreds of local farmers and suppliers to bring their produce to life.

Bronagh Henderson from SPAR said:“We can’t wait to be back at Balmoral Show this year, bringing a host of fun at our SPAR Marquee, alongside plenty of samples of our new ranges under the SPAR brand.

“The fresh and local range showcases the best of local sourcing from across the island of Ireland, and there is no better place for shoppers to get a first taste of the products than at Balmoral Show.

“Over the years, we have invested multiple millions of pounds in our rich landscape of local producers, farmers and suppliers, creating must-have products that bring choice and value to our shelves.”

In total, the new-look SPAR range will span across fresh eggs, milk, butter, meat, cheese, pizza, deli products and breads, alongside ambient products including preserves and spreads, biscuits, grains, tinned products, pasta, sweets and crisps.

“Our in-house team of cooks, led by Carl Johannesson, will also continue to produce high quality products for the new premium SPAR NI range, which includes Our Ultimate Beef Lasagne,” added Bronagh.

The new range of SPAR NI products are available now in SPAR and EUROSPAR stores across NI. For more, visit spar-ni.co.uk

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And it was a double celebration at the charity’s therapeutic short break centre, Daisy Lodge, as the retailer celebrated 15 years of the charity partnership, which was formed in 2011 and has become the longest running for both the charity and Henderson Group which owns the brands in Northern Ireland.

Speaking at the event, Paddy Doody, Sales and Marketing Director at Henderson Group, which owns the brands in Northern Ireland said this partnership was unique and showed true passion and dedication from each and every retailer, staff member and shopper who gave their time, energy and donations over the years.

“Reaching this incredible milestone, just six years after reaching the one-million-pound target, speaks to the commitment of our EUROSPAR and ViVOXTRA retailers, teams and shoppers, who have made the Cancer Fund for Children partnership part of their daily life in-store,” said Paddy.

“Many retailers have their own reasons for supporting this incredibly deserving charity, many know families who have had to navigate a cancer journey, yet no matter the reason, they all want to make an impact and use their network to do great things.

“We are very proud of the longevity of this partnership. It is quite rare to have a corporate fundraising partnership that has continued for 15 years, however it shows that measurable and lasting change means so much more than short term wins for all involved, most of all Cancer Fund for Children.”

Keith Orr was diagnosed with gastric cancer in December 2023. Husband to Anne and father to Gareth (20) and Daisy (17), Keith sadly died in August 2024, just eight months after his diagnosis. Anne says the support provided to Daisy throughout Keith’s treatment and following their bereavement was “invaluable”.

“Our Cancer Support Specialist Paul supported Daisy at home during Keith’s last months,” said Anne.

“Paul’s sessions were an incredible support to Daisy, and Paul always made time to support me too. Daisy completed Cancer Fund for Children’s ‘Say Their Name’ programme, which provides group support to children bereaved of a parent, and as a mum, knowing she has been guided in how to process her grief has been invaluable.

“The support we have received as a family has encouraged us to talk openly about our grief and given us space to share Keith’s story with pride. Thank you to everyone at EUROSPAR and ViVOXTRA for helping Cancer Fund for Children walk alongside families like ours.”

Phil Alexander, CEO at Cancer Fund for Children added: “The Orr family are one of thousands of families that our charity has supported over the years, support that simply wouldn’t be possible without the commitment of our corporate partners. We are blown away to reach this incredible fundraising milestone with EUROSPAR and ViVOXTRA and it’s a pleasure to have Anne and Daisy share their experience of support in recognition of the impact these vital funds have had.

“Our partnership with EUROSPAR and ViVOXTRA has created incredible opportunities for Cancer Fund for Children to provide vital services to families coping with a cancer diagnosis, as well as those experiencing bereavement. When our partners care as deeply about this support as we do, it creates the most powerful partnerships. We look forward to continued collaboration with their retailers, their teams and all their generous shoppers in the years ahead.”

As part of the celebration event, a new Enchanted Daisy Trail was unveiled, an all-new guided trail in the gardens of Daisy Lodge, which brings additional activities for young people to enjoy during their stay or visit to Daisy Lodge.

Jordana Stoney-Wilson, Partnership and Philanthropy Executive at Cancer Fund for Children said: “The enchanted fairy trail offers young people a safe and imaginative escape from the real world, somewhere that feels magical rather than medical. The trail has several touchpoints which will encourage mindfulness and calm and offer families shared moments of joy and connection.

“That can mean everything when your world has been turned upside down with treatments and hospital visits. We are so grateful for the support of every person who has supported this partnership, which not only funds short breaks here at Daisy Lodge, but also allows our charity to provide vital support to families across Northern Ireland in hospital and in the community, ensuring no child faces cancer alone.”

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