Operated under licence by Maxol’s retail partner, the Henderson Group, the existing shop has been modernised and increased in size to 1506 sq ft.

For the first time, a new Post Office facility has been introduced, replacing the Post Office previously located on Bangor High Street.

The forecourt has been reconfigured to create additional customer car parking, which has doubled to 12 spaces. Two pump islands provide customers with a full range of advanced fuels while air, water, and vacuum services complete the newly upgraded facilities.

Maxol has implemented its sustainable forecourt design to reduce the service station’s carbon footprint and energy consumption by 40%. This includes the installation of LED lights throughout the site; the use of low energy CO2 refrigeration system with glazed doors and an energy efficient air conditioning heating/cooling system.

Meanwhile, the shop features the latest SPAR design, where customers can enjoy ‘Bags More’ quality, choice, value, and convenience right on their doorstep, including a larger selection of fresh local produce, dairy and frozen foods and a BARISTA BAR, which offers delicious coffee and hot drinks on the go at any time of the day.

The development is part of The Maxol Group’s 2023-2027 £145 million investment strategy for growth across its network of service stations which Brian Donaldson, CEO, The Maxol Group announced back in 2023.

“We are delighted to see the work to expand and modernise Maxol Ballyholme now complete,” said Brian Donaldson.

“It is the latest redevelopment in our local network where we have delivered a new and sustainably designed store and created modern spacious facilities for our customers to enjoy convenience shopping for everyday grocery essentials right on their doorstep. Whether you’re popping in for a coffee on the go, a quick top up shop or something for tonight’s tea, there’s now more choice of goods and services for our customers to enjoy than ever before.

“I wish Helen and the team every success with Maxol Ballyholme.”

Billy Moore, Group Finance Director at Henderson Group which owns the SPAR franchise in Northern Ireland added: “Maxol SPAR Ballyholme has always been a busy forecourt, serving the surrounding residential and retail neighbourhood, now even more so thanks to the completion of this renovation.

“Maxol’s partnership with Henderson Retail allows us to deliver a contemporary convenience store experience packed with everyday essentials, including a host of fresh and locally sourced products for now or later, with value and community at heart.”

The post Maxol invests £1.5 million in Ballyholme Service Station, Bangor 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

The post Sustaining success at Milestone first appeared on Neighbourhood Retailer.

Group CEO Brian Donaldson confirmed a strong performance following an investment programme of £61 million during the 2023-2024 trading period, bolstered by an additional £41.4 million in capital expenditure during 2025.

The Group finished the year in a strong financial position, with no net bank debt and a substantial cash surplus.

According to Brian Donaldson, 2024 and 2025 have been defined by strategic investments, key acquisitions and smart innovations, as the company expanded its offering with new sites, products and services.

Group turnover in 2024 was £685 million, an increase of 4% on 2023, while Group profit before tax in 2024, before exceptionals, was £29 million, £2m more than 2023.

Backed by an ambitious growth strategy, The Maxol Group made 14 site acquisitions during the 2023-2025 period and redeveloped or retrofitted 27 of its existing sites.

One of the most notable redevelopments is the £1.5 million investment which is underway at Maxol Ballyholme in Bangor. Situated on one of the main routes from Bangor to Donaghadee, the service station and SPAR store is operated under licence by Maxol’s retail partner, the Henderson Group.

The investment project will see the existing shop reconfigured to incorporate a substantial portion of its former storage area, enabling the creation of a new 1506 sq ft retail space – an increase of nearly 25% from the previous 1237 sq ft.

An expanded grocery food offering, including an extended fruit & veg, dairy, and frozen food sections will be introduced, as well as a Barista Bar, while the inclusion of a Post Office facility in-store will be an added bonus for customers.

SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENTS

The forecourt will be reconfigured and a new canopy put in place, while car parking bays will double from six to 12 and will be located directly in front of the store. Two fuel pump islands will replace the existing three and pay-at-pump facilities will also be introduced, heightening customer convenience.

Work is expected to be completed in December with the store continuing to trade throughout the redevelopment.

Meanwhile, over £500,000 has been invested at Maxol Tates Avenue, with the project including an extension to the existing store, increasing retail space to 1650 sq ft, as well as car parking spaces increasing to 13 with pay-at-pump facilities having doubled to four terminals.

An investment of £268,000 was made at Maxol Saintfield on the Crossgar Road, with the service station refurbished with new floors, ceilings and fittings and newly branded signage; while a £370,000 investment will soon get underway at Maxol Scarva Road, Banbridge. This will include an enhancement of the shop’s sustainable features and newly branded signage.

Going forward, Maxol is taking steps to redefine what it means to deliver for customers beyond fuel, with car wash becoming a critical and growing part of the operation. Brian Donaldson explained it is now a core service that strengthens customer loyalty and reputation.

Recognising the evolving expectations of motorists, Maxol is rolling out an American-style conveyor car wash technology representing a major leap forward in speed, quality, and customer experience. This innovative car wash system is already operational at two Maxol stations in Dublin.

Planning applications for the conveyor car wash system will be made shortly for five of Maxol’s existing sites in Belfast, Derry~Londonderry, Limerick, Cork and Dublin.

“This expansion underscores our commitment to innovation and customer satisfaction, and I believe this will help position Maxol at the forefront of the next generation of forecourt retailing,” said Brian Donaldson.

Notwithstanding the growth and innovation within the business, Brian Donaldson highlighted challenges impacting the forecourt retail convenience sector, and the economy more broadly, including a more cautious consumer, a slower transition to EV adoption and the rising cost of doing business.

“The challenges for consumers include the up-front purchase price while for our business, challenges are the same as they have always been, such as the urgent need for grid reinforcements to support large-scale electrification and faster planning decisions to accelerate the rollout of charging infrastructure,” he said.

“Like other businesses, Maxol isn’t immune to the increased cost of labour while also contending with volatile energy prices, triggered by geopolitical instability. Rising insurance and other operational costs, alongside additional regulatory burdens, are intensifying cost pressures.

“Doing business has become more complex and more expensive and there is a real need to bolster support for existing businesses, and start-ups in particularly, to help foster innovation and drive positive market dynamics.”

The post Maxol announces strong trading performance for 2024 first appeared on Neighbourhood Retailer.

Continuing our countdown to this year’s Neighbourhood Retailer Awards, we find out more about our sponsors – this time we focus on Maxol, who we are delighted to announce are sponsoring the much-coveted Retailer of the Year award.

For over a century, Maxol has been at the heart of local communities across the island of Ireland. Founded in 1920 by William McMullan, a native of County Down, today, Maxol is a fourth-generation family-owned business that has become Ireland’s leading family forecourt and convenience retailer, as well as a global industry leader.

A progressive business, Maxol has led the way in transitioning from a fuel-based brand to a modern convenience-led food-to-go retailer. Working alongside our local partner, The Henderson Group, we strive to provide the right offer to meet our customers’ needs throughout the day – whether that’s a grab-and-go breakfast and lunch, a freshly brewed BARISTA BAR Coffee, or our extensive grocery selection including fresh fruit, vegetables, dairy, and frozen foods.

We have developed larger, brighter destination stores, increased parking, and we are using technology such as self-service checkouts and Pay at Pump facilities to create an excellent customer experience both in-store and on the forecourt.

We remain one of Ireland’s most recognised fuel brands. Our network of 248 service stations offers advanced quality fuels, and we have led the way with new mobility solutions including the roll-out of electric charging hubs under Maxol Recharge and HVO Pro, a low-emissions biodiesel for more sustainable fuel choices.

Our environmental commitment extends across our network with our sustainable forecourt design using technologies such as solar panels and low-energy CO2 refrigeration to reduce each site’s carbon footprint by up to 40%.

Over the years, Maxol has been recognised for its progressive approach with local, national, and international awards. The business was founded on integrity and a commitment to valuing everyone involved: staff, retailers, suppliers and partners and our customers are always at the heart of everything we do.

Our longstanding values as a family-owned business remain constant, guiding our strategy to develop service stations in the heart of communities – that are operated by local people, employing local people and serving the local community.

FINAL PLACES ARE AVAILABLE – BOOK YOUR TABLE AT THE 2025 NEIGHBOURHOOD RETAILER AWARDS HERE!

The post Founded on integrity and commitment to valuing everyone – Maxol first appeared on Neighbourhood Retailer.

During the awards presentation and lunch, Maxol recognised seven outstanding service stations, both company-owned and independent dealer operated, for setting ‘best in class’ standards in-store and delivering outstanding customer experience. These winning locations and their dedicated staff were also commended for their strong community engagement and for positioning themselves at the heart of their local areas.

The annual awards, promote excellence in station and store standards, customer experience, and community engagement. Standards are assessed through store audits by regional managers and the team from head office, along with mystery shopper visits and reviews of each store’s local community engagement, which includes fundraising activities for Maxol’s nominated charity, Guide Dogs NI.

Brian Donaldson, CEO of The Maxol Group said: “Our stores are truly ‘at the heart of it’- serving local communities and that’s why it’s important we hold ourselves to the highest standards and champion best practice across our stores.

“The continued success of our business is driven by the passion, commitment, and drive for continuous improvement that we see from our fantastic teams, and it’s what makes us an industry-leading convenience retailer. I want to extend my heartfelt congratulations to all the award winners and their store teams, who continue to set the gold standard across the Maxol network.”

Winners 

• Company-owned winners:  
• Store of the Year – Maxol Braid River, Ballymena, operated by Aramark
• Excellence in Standards – Maxol Braid River, Ballymena, operated by Aramark
• Excellence in Customer Experience, Maxol A26 Tannaghmore Services, operated by Aramark
• Excellence in Community Engagement, Maxol Edenderry, operated by licensees John and Sharon Bailey

• Independent Dealer winners:  
• Store of the Year – Henderson Retail Limited, Clough
• Excellence in Standards – Mulkerns, Newry led by Terry Mulkerns
• Excellence in Customer Experience – Bradley’s, Kilrea led by Kenny Bradley
• Excellence in Community Engagement – Litter’s, Portadown led by Louise Litter

The post Maxol celebrates outstanding stores with Excellence Awards first appeared on Neighbourhood Retailer.