The Wall Group – catalysts for change
The Wall Group continues to add to its impressive store portfolio with the relaunch of EUROSPAR Springfield Road just 12 months after purchase, and an investment of £1m creating a fresh modern store. NR spoke to Gavan Wall to find out more about phase one of the redevelopment.
Representing community retailing at its finest, The Wall Group, founded by Gavan and his wife, Helen, has established itself as a top-of-the-range retail group providing a fresh, modern retail experience.
The reopening of their Springfield Road store – their eighth site – follows on from their purchase of the store in September 2025 and subsequent investment of £1 million on internal refit. A further £2 million will follow on redeveloping the forecourt and external amenity in the coming months.
The EUROSPAR store stands at almost 6000 sq ft and has been through a complete overhaul, with a new ceiling with linear lighting, new flooring, new shelving and new refrigeration all incorporated. As Gavan Wall told NR, the creation of a modern store is an important factor for today’s consumers.
“We purchased it in September 2025, it was a good quality site but I believed it was a sleeping giant and that it had big potential,” said Gavan.
“We introduced our own Wall’s Foodhall & Butchery, it is our own in-house brand. We have a brand-new deli with a new Subway counter and we moved the tills to the other side of the shop to create better flow.
“I believe we also have the widest first aisle in the country, with lower-level table displays and a wider gangway. This transforms the customer experience! We have totally changed everything inside entirely.”
The site also has a forecourt, which Gavan explained is a “small, cramped site” but he is passionate about redeveloping this and creating an exciting forecourt facility – phase two of the redevelopment plan.
“I had a dilemma about which to do first, as we wanted to do both the shop and the forecourt, however with planning permission required for the forecourt, I ultimately completed the internal refurb first and went through the planning process for the forecourt at the same time,” said Gavan.
“When you spend £1 million these days when margins are so tight, if you do not get the uplift, you are in trouble. I had to be really on top of the planning permission for the external work, but it’s looking like things are moving in the right direction.”
The refurbished store boasts everyday essentials, own-brand fresh ranges, an increased selection of SPAR Bakery and local suppliers as well as increased offerings of both dairy and fresh produce. There store also operates an off licence, a Barista Bar coffee machine and an internal and external ATM.
A key differential for the store is its increased opening hours, now operating on a 24-hour basis, with an open-door policy.
“This does bring its risks, but we have also been doing this at our Landscape Filling Station site,” said Gavan.
“We get night-time deliveries and have full-time staff on with headsets and someone on the floor, so there is nobody on their own. We are near the Royal Victoria Hospital and have noticed a lot of the night-shift workers coming in and they have been very pleased they are able to come into the shop and get what they need during the night.”
Gavan added they have also noted a lot of customers come to purchase their fuel at night, when the forecourt is quieter.
“We have tried to keep the fuel as competitive as we can price-wise and currently have pre-pay pumps. Our new forecourt will make such a difference for us, people have no idea the impact it will have. I have seen what we can do when we transform something like this. It’s really exciting for me and the whole team,” added Gavan.
Having purchased his first store – Landscape Filling Station on the Crumlin Road – back in 2008, Gavan has a wealth of experience in what his customers want and has a keen foresight on new and exciting initiatives he aims to introduce across his businesses. Committed to benefiting areas with a wide range of offerings and services, he has seen how a shop can transform places.
