Allwyn, operator of The National Lottery, has announced it has awarded £20,000 in prizes to 11 National Lottery retailers in its latest Site, Stock, Sell online quarterly prize draw.
A single National Lottery retailer took home the £10,000 top prize, while a further 10 retailers each won £1,000 for achieving high scores in Allwyn’s Site, Stock, Sell online in-store standards programme.
"My husband and I are big charity people and that’s why we always make sure we do everything to maximise National Lottery sales and our shop’s contributions to Good Causes," said Ranmal Punja Odera, owner of Smokers Paradise and winner of £1,000.
"I worked for the NHS for years, and now I support the community and our customers. I often take our elderly customers out for brunch and dinner, so I will use the money to treat them to a nice afternoon tea and also give a little to a charity. Then the rest could go towards a holiday."
Tanwar Hussain
Tanwir Hussain, owner of Premier News in Chorley and winner of a £1,000 prize, said: "I was so happy when I found out I’d won. It means we can buy a new washing machine with the money.
"The National Lottery makes a huge difference to our store, as it helps to drive footfall. We recently had the new National Lottery permanent point of sales equipment installed which looks great and is already making a difference."
Allwyn’s Head of Field Sales, Karl Southworth, said: "I’d like to say a huge congratulations to this quarter’s deserving Site, Stock, Sell online prize winners. Keep up the fantastic work. We know that keeping Scratchcard dispensers full, signage current and up to date, and play slips topped up helps maximise sales of The National Lottery and, in turn, increases returns to Good Causes. Thank you for your hard work in helping to raise over £30 million every week for National Lottery-funded projects."
This month, independent National Lottery retailers have the opportunity to earn even more in rewards through Allwyn's Site, Stock, Sell online programme. They can earn £25 instead of £10 for uploading point of sale pictures and scoring 8 or more out of ten. This is helping support the huge £104m guaranteed EuroMillions special event draw tonight (7 March), with POS having already been sent to stores ahead of the huge draw.
If National Lottery retailers haven’t already, they can sign up to The National Lottery Retailer Hub today to find out more about bonus opportunities like this one: https://tnlpartners.co.uk/
Full list of winners:
£10,000
A National Lottery retailer in Kent*
£1,000
Simon Atkinson, owner of Woodfield Convenience Store in Harrogate
Visalini Jeyanand, owner of Go Local Extra in Derby
Paul Walker, owner of Bargain Booze in Wigan
Ranmal Punja Odera, owner of Smokers Paradise in Billericay
Heavily criticising the upcoming disposable vape ban, traders in Wes Streeting's constituency of Ilford North have raised the concern that the new law will hurt small businesses and will backfire badly as the product will be available illegally even after the ban.
According to a recent survey by We Vape, 95 per cent of UK traders believe the ban will hurt small businesses.
Some 80 per cent also believe shopkeepers will continue to sell illegal vapes after the disposables ban is enforced on June 1 and certain flavours are prohibited as part of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill currently working its way through parliament.
The survey, commissioned by campaign group We Vape, targeted over 800 independent traders and franchises via industry and trade fair WhatsApp groups to gather their views on the forthcoming Tobacco and Vapes Bill and its implications for small businesses.
The poll showed 98 per cent did not support a ban on e-liquid flavours, while 57 per cent knew of shops already selling illegal products.
Business owners were asked 'with the introduction of a vape tax and proposed flavour restrictions, do you think there will be less people visiting your shop to buy vapes?', with 93 per cent answering 'yes'.
The poll also revealed 97 per cent thought restricting vapes would lead to an increase in cigarette use. When asked if 'vapers will try and source illegal vapes as a result of the proposed restrictions?', 96 per cent said yes.
With 167 company responses, the data is considered the most comprehensive retailer research of its kind into government plans to create a smoke-free generation.
Gurdeep Chahal, owner of Somerville Convenience Store, said the disposable vape ban could force his shop to close.
"The bill is only going to make the problem of illicit products worse here and I can't believe my own MP is pushing something that could put me out of business," reported quoted Chahal as saying.
"It's handing the sale of cigarettes to criminals and is going to make it harder for my customers to move to smoke-free products.'
After 45 years of dedicated service to the Brookeborough community, independent retailer Benny McClave is retiring from his beloved Nisa store.
A fixture of the village in Northern Ireland, ‘Benny’s Shop’ has been more than just a convenience store - it has been a cornerstone of the community, a place where friendships were formed, and countless memories were made.
Originally from Roslea, Benny took over the shop in 1978 and spent a year renovating it before opening in 1979. Over the years, the store evolved through different fascias before joining Nisa, but its commitment to the local community never wavered.
Reflecting on his time behind the counter, Benny said: “It took me a long time to get to know people and their faces, and I suppose it took them a long time to get to know me too.”
Throughout his career, Benny has been much more than a retailer. He has been a steadfast supporter of local causes, regularly donating to schools and community projects.
One of his most cherished contributions was organising Santa’s annual visit to the store, a tradition that brought joy to generations of children.
With Santa arriving on a trailer to hand out gifts, and adults treated to a warm bowl of soup, it became a highlight of the festive season. Even after the disruption caused by COVID-19, Benny’s legacy endured, with the local playgroup taking on the responsibility of continuing the tradition.
Benny, who handed over the store on Friday, 7 March 2025, acknowledged that saying goodbye was not easy.
“Of course, I will miss it,” he said. “I’ll miss the company and the pleasure of serving the customers. It’s been a lifetime - 45 years - I’m bound to miss it.”
Nigel Maxwell, Regional Retail Manager in Northern Ireland for Nisa, paid tribute to Benny’s incredible contribution: “Benny is the definition of a true community retailer.
"For 45 years, he has served Brookeborough with dedication, kindness, and a wonderful sense of humour. His generosity and commitment to local causes have made a lasting impact, and he will be greatly missed by customers, colleagues, and the wider Nisa family.
"We wish him all the best in his well-earned retirement. Although Benny is stepping away from the shop, he and his family will remain in Brookeborough, a place he fondly refers to as home.
"As he hands over the reins, the entire community celebrates the remarkable career of a man who truly made a difference.
Employment Rights Bill has been passed at all its stages in the House of Commons and will now be considered in the House of Lords.
The landmark legislation seeks to end unfair employment practices and make work more secure.
The Employment Rights Bill will ban exploitative zero-hours contract and provide a right to a regular hours contract and make Statutory Sick Pay available from day one of absence and to all workers, regardless of income.
Day-one access to employment rights, including challenging an unfair dismissal, will be granted while the bill require employers to protect staff from customer harassment.
The bill also give trade unions the right to access workplaces, to recruit and organise workers, simplify the trade union recognition process to give workers a voice and introduce statutory rights for workplace equalities representatives.
The bill will limit the use of fire and rehire and create a fair work agency to put enforcement of employment rights into a single body.
The Bill will now proceed to the House of Lords.
Although it may be a few months before we have the final version, and much of the detail will in any event remain to be set out in regulations, employers may wish to start considering how the new rights will impact their business.
Commenting on the progression of the bill, Paddy Lillis – Usdaw general secretary says,“Usdaw has long campaigned for a new deal for workers and the Employment Rights Bill delivers on that.
"This landmark legislation will contribute to Labour’s mission to grow the economy, raise living standards across the country and create opportunities.
"The Bill also builds on the action already taken by Labour in Government to significantly increase minimum wage rates from April, with the Low Pay Commission for the first time required to take into account the cost of living and make progress towards ending rip-off youth rates.
“Labour won the last election on the promise of change and because the Conservatives failed to grow our economy, didn’t protect workers in the cost of living crisis and repeatedly attacked workers’ rights and trade unions.
"It is disappointing that Tory MPs were whipped into opposing the Employment Rights Bill, which only demonstrates that they’ve not listened to voters or learnt the lessons of 14 years of failure.
“It was no surprise that Reform leader Nigel Farage voted against the Bill. It is clear that Reform is no friend of working people. They continue to seek to divide workers, rather than supporting critical measures to improve their working lives.
"Recent polling shows that voters in every constituency overwhelmingly support key measures in the Bill. We will be asking Members of the House of Lords to give their full backing to this crucial legislation and ensure that it is delivered in full.”
“This historic legislation will help end years of low-paid, insecure employment, which failed our economy, businesses and working people. The Employment Rights Bill will help secure economic growth by improving productivity after years of stagnation.
"It will help stop rogue employers undercutting those who treat their staff properly, while giving workers security, respect and the decency of an income they can live on.”
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Highland Spring Group secures Bank of Scotland and Barclays backing
Highland Spring Group, leading UK producer of natural source waters, said it successfully completed a competitive process to refinance its business.
The company has announced that the Bank of Scotland and Barclays, as its funding banks, will provide support as it progresses towards its stated ambition of £200 million sales by 2030.
In 2023, the business grew its sales in the year by 15.5 per cent to £130.6m and the Highland Spring brand consolidated its position as the UK’s number one plain water brand for a seventh successive year.
The company said the financial backing, which includes term and revolving credit facilities of £50m, will further accelerate the evolution of the brand and business to meet the growing demands of retail partners and consumers for healthy, high-quality, British products.
“The Bank of Scotland and Barclays funding provides a springboard for us to further invest in our business to boost sustainable growth. This package reflects their confidence in our strong operational and market performance, talented team, and iconic brand,” John Young, finance director, Highland Spring Group, said.
“We are delighted to work with both organisations as we continue to scale up and bring our exceptional products to even more retailers and customers across the UK.”
Building on the strength of the Highland Spring brand continues to be the main priority of the business, with an emphasis on expanding the business’s portfolio of products and packaging formats. A recent successful launch into the 400 million litres flavoured water category, with a new Highland Spring Flavoured Still Water range was supported by a £10m investment at the group’s main site in Blackford, Perthshire which will provide circa 25 per cent of extra capacity.
The group’s dedicated rail freight facility in Blackford, Perthshire transports 40 per cent of the water supplied from the main bottling plant by rail, removing 8,000 HGV movements from the roads, and saving over 3,000 tonnes of CO2 every year. This landmark project supports the businesses decarbonisation roadmap which aims to reduce emissions across their entire operations from source to shelf.
“Highland Spring Group was the first major water brand to introduce a 100% recycled (cap and label excluded) and recyclable bottle in the UK in 2019 and it is clear that its drive to innovate, grow the business, and prioritise environmental sustainability remain its top priorities,” Simon Sweeney, director at Bank of Scotland, said.
“We’re pleased to support the business with this financing package as it progresses in its next chapter of delivering its ambitious growth plans, including initiatives which reduce carbon emissions across its operations.”
Jamie Grant, head of Barclays corporate banking in Scotland, said: “We are committed to supporting lending via our £22bn Barclays Business Prosperity Fund and so are very pleased to have been chosen as a banking partner for Highland Spring. We look forward to supporting their exciting plans going forward.”
A persistent shoplifter targeting stores in Northumbria is now behind bars after stealing from a South Tyneside store just weeks after being handed a suspended sentence for the same offences.
As informed by Northumbria Police on Thursday (13), Michael Wright, 35, visited the Co-op store on Mortimer Road in South Shields last Thursday (6) and took laundry products without paying.
Less than a month earlier, Wright was given a 14-week suspended sentence by South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court for stealing chicken from the same Co-op store, and toiletries from the Sainsbury’s on Prince Edward Road.
After being quickly identified as responsible, Wright, of Lumley Avenue, South Shields, was arrested on Sunday (9) in connection with his latest spree of offending. The South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court on Monday (10) was sentenced him to 22 weeks imprisonment.
Following his court appearance, Constable Thubron, of South Shields Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT), said, “Wright is a repeat thief who has flagrantly disregarded his previous suspended sentence he was given only weeks prior.
“Wright has a vast history of this type of offending – and his brazen attitude towards the orders imposed on him by a court shows his lack of regard for anyone his criminality affects.
“Crime sprees such as these do nothing except leave businesses out of pocket, and I’m pleased he’s now behind bars to prevent him causing more disorder in the local community.
“As a Force, we will continue to tackle this type of criminality.”
Rapid rise in retail crime continues to impact stores across the country with multiple industry as well as government reports showing the similar record levels of theft, abuse and violence against shop workers.
Meanwhile in Essex, two prolific shoplifters who stole almost £20,000 worth of goods have been sentenced after being caught with stolen items in their car.
Thomas McDonagh, 21, of Warren Crescent, Headington, Oxford, was jailed for 16 months after admitting to eight counts of theft across Essex in December 2024 and January 2025. His accomplice, Martin Stokes, 23, of Aylesbury Street, Bletchley, Buckinghamshire, received a 16-week jail term, suspended for 18 months, and must complete 80 hours of unpaid work.
The duo were stopped by police on 19 January while driving on the A12. Officers had linked them to multiple thefts from Boots and Next in the Stane Park retail area in Stanway, Colchester.
Upon stopping their Ford Focus, police found the boot packed with stolen goods, swiftly connecting them to 11 separate shoplifting incidents across the county, including in Chelmer Village, Chelmsford.