When Sheetal Sisodiya made the bold move from information technology to convenience store retailing in August 2022, she couldn't have imagined that within just over a year, she would be crowned Impulse Retailer of the Year at the 2023 edition of the Asian Trader Awards. Yet, this achievement perfectly encapsulates her approach to retail: doing things differently and creating a community hub that goes beyond merely selling products.
The SPAR Linford store near Bordon, Hampshire, is run as a family business, with Sheetal and her sister-in-law Rekha at the helm. While Sheetal has an IT background in the service management and finance sectors, Rekha brought experience from the car rental sector. Both women had family connections to retail.
“Her family runs stores. My family does, too – my sister and my parents. My parents have been running a store for about eight years near Norfolk. So, we thought, why not give this a go,” Sheetal recalls about their decision to venture into retail. “Everyone kept saying this was something we could do. Then we found this store in 2022 August, and we just went ahead with it.”
While her husband Bharat remains in IT, his brother Manoj, Rekha’s husband, helps out at the store, making it truly a family endeavour.
Finding the right fit
The search for the perfect store was methodical and considered. “We looked at many stores," Sheetal explains. The criteria were specific: good location for both families, proximity to schools, and most importantly, a store that could be operated immediately without requiring extensive renovation.
The SPAR Linford store, with its 20-year history in the community, ticked all the boxes.
“We didn't want something that needed too much work, and we just liked it when we came here. We liked how it was, and we could see there was quite a bit of potential still in the store to do other things,” she says.
SPAR Linford store
The store was owned by veteran retailer Julian Taylor-Green, who serves as independent vice chair, of Association of Convenience Stores, and his honest approach has also been a major factor for Sheetal and Rekha to seal the deal.
Reflecting on the transition, Sheetal admits it was an eye-opener. “Because neither one of us knew how to run a store, per se, but we had family and staff that helped, and we just learned along the way,” she says.
The support from their symbol group, SPAR, has also been crucial.
“Their support was brilliant in the start, because there was quite a lot of problems with various things like external contracts with other suppliers, etc., coming in. They helped us navigate through all the different, little problems,” she explains, adding that the support from the group remains exceptional.
“Our BDM, who's Martin, he helps us a lot with things. In fact, he was here yesterday and spent the day with us. They’ve been very helpful on any issues we face.”
One of the wisest decisions the new owners made was retaining the existing staff. While some part-time student workers have naturally moved on, the core full-time staff remained, providing invaluable continuity and expertise.
“Our staff is brilliant,” she says. “They're very knowledgeable, like Caroline in the post office, she does a lot of things, bringing new ideas into store. Then there's Daisy, who's very knowledgeable in all areas. She works in the post office, she knows the shop floor, handles delivery, ordering, also touches on promotions, an all-rounder. So that helps.”
This high-calibre team that keeps the store running smoothly gives Sheetal and Rekha peace of mind, allowing them to focus on other aspects of the business.
“If something unexpected happens and you have to run, then we don't have to worry that things are going to go wrong here. When our nephew got married in Spain this past summer, we all had to go there obviously, like half the workforce, but the staff handled everything,” she says.
While they haven't done a major refit since taking over, they've made strategic improvements, expanding the food-to-go area with slushie and ice cream machines, optimising the kitchen area, and refreshing the store's exterior.
Creating in-store theatre
What sets the SPAR Linford store apart is its dynamic approach to merchandising and seasonal promotions. The store's entrance features a distinctive display stand made from wooden crates that transforms with the seasons.
“Halloween is coming up, so our front stand right now has all Halloween items on there. We also decorate the store. It just goes with each of the themes that are changing throughout the year. So, once Halloween is finished, it'll go to a standard display, and then it will go to full on Christmas display, and then we'll decorate the whole store and the stand in the front,” she explains.
This attention to seasonal merchandising extends beyond mere decoration. The store runs weekly promotions, managed by Sheetal's niece Mira, alternating between various categories, ensuring there's always something new to attract customers.
“Promotions work very well for us,” Sheetal says. “Mira reviews prices and promotions in-store constantly, and they change every week. So those stands keep changing. Right now, we've got chocolate, sweets and crisps with the new Tango Cherry on promotion. And she makes sure the display is good, with all the banners and everything.”
Sheetal has a keen eye for selecting the right product mix for her customers. While alcohol and cigarettes remain the best-selling categories, the store also excels in confectionery and grab-and-go drinks. A notable aspect of the store’s offering is its focus on SPAR’s own-label products. Sheetal is an advocate for these, praising their good pricing and quality, which resonate with her customer base.
“I myself use it,” she vouches for the range. “And there are good products. You've got cleaning, you've got coffee, you've got teas, and now the bread as well. It's not a bad range. It works well for us.”
Sheetal is also quick to adapt to emerging trends. One area where she sees growth potential is in the shift from disposable vapes to reusable vapes, as well as the rising popularity of heated tobacco products like IQOS.
“We've started doing the reusable vapes and have already seen the shift from the disposables to the reusable ones. And people have also started switching to Heets and Terea (sticks, designed for use within IQOS devices), as well,” she says.
Community at heart
Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of Sheetal's approach to retail is her commitment to community engagement. In just two years, she has transformed the store into a community hub where many customers have become friends.
“It keeps you connected with your local community,” she explains. “A lot of them are our friends now, because we talk to them, and they feel comfortable telling us things when they need help with anything ... this is like their place of comfort. Some of the people come here daily and have a chat with us.”
The store goes above and beyond for its elderly customers, offering assistance to cars and home deliveries when needed. They also accommodate special product requests, strengthening their bond with local shoppers.
“If there's anything unusual they want, and we're able to order it, we do that for them as well. It’s important to have that connection,” she says.
What truly sets them apart is their celebration of cultural diversity. Despite having a small Asian community in the area, the store enthusiastically celebrates Diwali, introducing local customers to Indian culture through decorations, traditional sweets, and samosas. Even the staff, who never wore Indian clothes, participated by wearing traditional Indian clothing during celebrations.
“The locals didn't really know much about Diwali and how it is celebrated. So, for them it was nice as well to see the Diwali decorations, try all the different foods that we made,” she notes, adding that their customers were already telling them that the festival is coming soon.
Their community involvement extends to active participation in local initiatives. The store hosts charity events, supports the local food bank, and assists local football teams with funding. They also provide space for Poppy Appeal inside the store.
“Before they used to do it outside, on the side of the road. So, we told them they can come in here because it's cold, raining, and people are coming in the store anyway,” she says. “So it's somewhere for them to sit and do their charity raising.”
They've also built strong relationships with local suppliers. The store sells Chapel Farm eggs from a nearby supplier in Oakhanger and Hogs Back beers from a local brewery in Surrey. Sheetal’s partnership with a local Indian-Bangladeshi takeaway has also been fruitful, with their curry sauces becoming popular among customers.
Fresh cakes from Brambells are another local favorite, particularly appreciated by the elderly customers in the community. “The lady from Brambells comes every two weeks, does the order with us. We check out the different styles they have of cakes, and we change the variety because the elderly people like these fresh cakes,” she says.
Facing challenges
Like many retailers, Sheetal faced challenges, particularly around shoplifting when she first took over the store. However, her proactive approach to improving security has significantly reduced the issue.
“We've obviously spent a lot of money on our CCTV coverage. We've added quite a lot of screens as well. And the staff are now fully involved when shoplifters are here,” she says. “We've managed it very well. Now it's like the shoplifters know that it's not easy in there.”
The switch from working from home to the demanding hours of retail was another adjustment.
“I was working from home before. It’s a cushy life, easy, and then coming here, and you have to put in all the hours at the beginning,” she admits, though she notes that things have settled now, and “it's nice to have your own thing, something you're working for yourself.”
With two successful years under their belt, Sheetal and her family are now considering expansion. "We now feel more settled. We'll probably look for another store, eventually, and just go from there,” she reveals.
Her advice to other retailers reflects the philosophy that has brought her success: “Try and do something different.” Whether it's seasonal stands, in-store events, kids' games, or cultural celebrations, creating unique experiences that competitors don't offer has been key to building strong community relationships.
The store's success in a competitive environment – with a Tesco seven minutes away by car, a Sainsbury's in the next town, and a One Stop within walking distance – demonstrates the effectiveness of this approach. Customers repeatedly choose SPAR Linford not just for its well-stocked shelves and efficient post office service, but for the friendly, knowledgeable staff and the vibrant atmosphere that makes every visit special.
GroceryAid, the UK's grocery industry charity, stands as a beacon of hope and support for those who stock our shelves, man our tills, and keep our supply chains running smoothly. As the charity celebrates another year of remarkable impact, Asian Trader sat down with Kieran Hemsworth, who last month completed his first year as CEO, to discuss GroceryAid's mission, achievements, and ambitious plans for the future.
Kieran Hemsworth's journey to the helm of GroceryAid is a story of industry experience meeting purposeful ambition. With a career spanning three decades in the grocery and FMCG sectors, Hemsworth brings a wealth of knowledge and a deep understanding of the industry's challenges to his role.
“I've had a long, long association with the charity. I've been going to GroceryAid events, probably for the last 30 years, ever since I was 24-25,” Hemsworth reflects. “Of course, it wasn't called GroceryAid then.”
Founded as the National Grocers Benevolent Fund back in 1857, the charity has combined with several other trade charities over the years, and changed its name from Caravan to GroceryAid in October 2012, following the merger with The Confectioners Benevolent Fund.
Hemsworth’s career in the industry began as a graduate trainee at Unilever, where he cut his teeth in marketing and sales roles over eight years. From there, he moved to Coca-Cola Enterprises, now Coca-Cola Europacific Partners, where he held several senior positions, including sales director for Grocery and Impulse and vice president of marketing for Northwest Europe.
He then went on to lead Ginsters, the Cornish pasty company, for five years as managing director, overseeing a significant brand relaunch. A stint at PZ Cussons followed, running the UK and Europe business of the Carex, Imperial Leather and Original Source maker. It was after this role that Hemsworth decided to pursue an MBA, a decision that would ultimately lead him to GroceryAid.
“Whilst I was doing my MBA, I thought, I just want to do something a bit more purposeful,” he explains. The opportunity to lead GroceryAid presented itself as a compelling way to give back to the industry he had been part of for so long. “I'd had quite a lot of interaction with the charity whilst I was at Coca-Cola. I was on the president's fundraising committee for about three or four years,” he adds, demonstrating his deep connection to the charity.
Despite his success as a senior executive, Hemsworth felt the need to broaden his knowledge base, leading him to pursue an MBA later in his career. “When you get to a certain level in an organisation, there are all sorts of trends that are happening, but you never have the time to properly get to grips with those trends,” he notes.
The year at Bournemouth University allowed him to dive into crucial topics like sustainability and digital marketing, trends that were becoming increasingly relevant in the grocery sector.
“I thought it was going to be easy, but it wasn’t!” Hemsworth admits, reflecting on the rigorous academic work required. “It was quite tough, but extremely rewarding, and I learned so much.”
A year of remarkable impact
Under Hemsworth's leadership, GroceryAid has seen remarkable growth in both its reach and impact. The charity last year provided 78,000 “incidences of support”, a staggering 93 per cent increase from just two years ago. This surge in demand has been met with a corresponding increase in welfare spending, now exceeding £6 million per year.
“It just goes to show how much of a need is out there for a charity that looks after the welfare of the people that work within grocery,” he says. “I think we'll spend £6.5m this year, but we could only match the level of demand out there thanks to the generosity of the people who support us as a charity.”
One of Hemsworth’s key realisations during his first year was just how much GroceryAid had evolved in recent years. “The welfare team have done an amazing job to change our offer, which was originally focused more on pensioner beneficiaries, to one that’s much more focused on the needs of grocery workers and their families,” he notes.
This shift reflects the growing recognition that grocery workers require comprehensive support, and GroceryAid’s support comes in three forms: financial, emotional, and practical. This holistic approach ensures that beneficiaries receive comprehensive assistance tailored to their specific needs.
Financial support includes grants for those facing sudden income drops due to factors like illness, relationship breakdowns, or housing issues. The charity also offers one-off grants with a specific remit, such as the cost-of-living grants and school essentials grants. “If you're on benefits and you work within grocery, you can apply for £150 per child grant to ensure that children go back to school with a new school uniform and new kit, which is great,” Hemsworth says.
To receive financial support, people should have worked in the grocery industry consistently for the past six months.
Emotional support is another crucial pillar of GroceryAid’s offerings. The charity provides access to trained counselors through its care line, offering up to six counseling sessions for those struggling with mental health issues. They have also partnered with charities like Relate, which offers counselling for relationship problems and Shelter, the housing and homelessness charity.
“If you phone up our care line, you'll speak to a trained counselor, and that trained counselor work out what's the best route for the help that it's required. So, if you've had a relationship breakdown, they will put you into somebody like Relate. If you've got an issue with housing, they will put you in contact with Shelter,” he explains.
Practical support rounds out the charity's offer. This includes access to specialists who can provide guidance on tax issues, financial problems, and even legal matters. “We will pay for people’s legal advice,” Hemsworth says, highlighting the breadth of practical support available.
Reaching the Independent sector
While GroceryAid has made significant strides, one of the ongoing challenges is raising awareness of the charity’s services, particularly among frontline grocery workers. “We did some research where we talked about the sort of services that we offer, and only 18 per cent of frontline grocery workers had heard of GroceryAid,” Hemsworth reveals.
This statistic is a driving force behind Hemsworth's ambitious vision for the charity. “Our vision is to help everybody within the grocery industry that needs us,” he states emphatically. “Now we think that is roughly 10 per cent of people who work in the industry. So instead of the 78,000 instances of support, we think actually what we should be helping is about 260,000.”
To bridge this awareness gap, Hemsworth and his team are approaching GroceryAid “a little bit like a consumer brand.” This involves not only leveraging their existing supporters to spread the word but also venturing into paid media on digital platforms, targeting frontline grocery workers through platforms like Facebook and Instagram.
A significant focus for Hemsworth and GrocryAid is expanding the charity's reach to independent retailers and their staff - a sector, often characterised by smaller operations and tighter margins, which can be particularly vulnerable to financial and emotional stresses. As he took the reins at the organisation last year, his immediate action was to launch a leaflet aimed at raising awareness among independent stores.
“Last year, from a financial grant perspective, we helped just over 650 people working in the independent sector, and we spent about £350,000 on financial support for them,” Hemsworth shares. “On the care line, we helped about 900 people who work in the independent sector.”
However, he acknowledges that this is just scratching the surface of the potential need. “If you take that as a percentage of the totality, it's not enough, and we want to grow it,” he says.
To boost awareness among independent retailers, GroceryAid offers free promotional materials. “If you run an independent store and you want to use our services, you can download from our website posters, leaflets and wallet cards to put up in store, we will send you all of this,” Hemsworth explains. “All you need to do is supply your name and address, and these services are open to everybody who works within your store. It's a great welfare offer for everybody.”
Independent retailers, often family-run businesses, face a unique set of challenges. The charity is careful to differentiate between personal financial struggles and business challenges. While the charity cannot provide direct financial support to save failing businesses, it does offer practical advice on managing business debt.
“Part of the practical offer that we have is how you manage small business debt and issues relating to the financial performance for a smaller business with advice,” Hemsworth notes. This practical advice can be a lifeline for retailers juggling both business and personal financial hardships, offering them a way to navigate their difficulties with professional guidance.
He also touches on a critical issue within any charitable organisation providing financial aid -ensuring that the support does not unintentionally enable harmful behaviors such as gambling. “We don’t like to turn people down, but we would turn somebody down if there is a high level of gambling, on the bank statements,” Hemsworth clarifies. In such cases, the charity signposts individuals to relevant addiction support services to help them address their underlying issues.
“There's a check, just to make sure that we're giving the right people the right sort of financial support, but also the right sort of emotional and practical support that go with that as well.”
Fundraising and celebration
GroceryAid's events play a crucial role in both fundraising and industry engagement. The crown jewel of these events is the Barcode Festival, which exemplifies the charity's growth and ambition.
"Barcode is just the most brilliant event,” Hemsworth enthuses. “The reasons why people go to Barcode is maybe slightly different from some of the other events that we run. More and more it's because people want to celebrate as a team, give a bit of reward and recognition as a team.”
Looking ahead, Kieran’s focus is also on scaling up GroceryAid’s events, particularly the Barcode Festival.
“If our vision is to try and help everybody, and we were successful in terms of growing the level of awareness, then I've got to increase the welfare budget to match that,” he notes.
Described as a day of celebration for the grocery industry, Barcode has outgrown its previous venue near The O2, which has a capacity of about 5000, and will be moving to a larger greenfield site at Kenwood House, in Hampstead, London, next year. This move will increase capacity to around 6,000 or 7,000 attendees, with potential for further growth in the future.
The festival serves multiple purposes, and increasingly as an opportunity for brands to showcase themselves in a unique, emotive way.
“In the last Barcode, we had over 1000 retailers there. So, it's a great opportunity to showcase your brand in an emotive way, rather than just talk with a presenter, do it in a proper way whilst everybody has enjoyed themselves as well,” Hemsworth explains.
But Barcode is just one of many events in GroceryAid's calendar. From challenge activities like coast-to-coast cycling and rowing across Lake Windermere to gala events with major retailers, each event serves to bring the industry together while raising crucial funds for the charity's work.
Focus on diversity
GroceryAid's commitment to the industry extends beyond direct support to workers. The charity also facilitates the D&I in Grocery programme, which aims to raise the level of diversity across the sector. With over 100 partners now participating, the program provides a platform for companies to learn from each other and drive positive change.
“It's a fantastic programme where the partners learn from the partners,” Hemsworth says. "Some of them a little bit further forward in terms of their D&I journey, but this gives a great opportunity for people who are not so far forward to be able to learn a huge amount from the other partners within the programme.”
The programme includes Learning Labs, mentor sessions, and a large annual live event, D&I in Grocery LIVE! This year's event, took place in early October, featured retail consultant and broadcaster Mary Portas as the keynote speaker.
For Hemsworth, the Asian retail community plays a vital role in the convenience sector, and he is determined to include their experiences in the D&I conversation. “We’re very pleased to have Asian Trader as one of our partners to ensure that representation,” he notes. “The whole programme is across the totality of the industry, and we need to make sure that we are covering everybody from that perspective.”
A message for Diwali
With Diwali just around the corner, Hemsworth offers a heartfelt message to retailers celebrating the festival of lights: “Have an amazing Diwali, but also remember your workers over this time as well. Please help us to get that message out, of our fantastic welfare services that are available to them.
“Sign up to the website, get the pack downloaded, drive that level of awareness of everybody working in your store, to make sure that they really understand that there is an industry charity here that's available to help them, should they fall into need, whether that is financial, emotional or practical.”
It’s a message that underlines the heart of GroceryAid’s mission - supporting those who keep the grocery industry running, day in and day out. By spreading the word and ensuring that workers know where to turn in times of need, Hemsworth hopes that more people will benefit from the lifeline that GroceryAid provides.
Diwali is a time of giving, a time to reflect on the spirit of kindness and community. What better way to embody that than by ensuring your staff are aware of the support available to them through GroceryAid.
The application process
For those seeking support from GroceryAid, the process is designed to be as straightforward and supportive as possible. CEO Kieran Hemsworth walks us through the steps: “If you're suffering that sort of temporary drop in income, in terms of if somebody in the house is ill and you have to reduce the number of hours that you're working, or there's a relationship breakdown or a housing issue, the best thing to do is to go via our website groceryaid.org.uk.” From there, applicants can find information about available grants and how to apply. The website offers a live chat option and a phone number [08088 021 122] for those who need assistance with their application. The application process is designed to be comprehensive but compassionate, considering the applicant’s financial situation, such as savings and bank statements, to ensure the right support is provided. GroceryAid's caseworkers guide applicants through the process, ensuring they receive the most appropriate support for their situation. “The approach from the welfare officers is often the case that we get people applying for like a cost-of-living grant, which is quite a low-level grant, and when they casework it with the individual, they will find out there's another opportunity to apply for an even bigger grant,” Hemsworth explains. “Also, depending on the issue, they will signpost the other services that we can offer as well, so either the practical support that's required to go with it, or any emotional support that's required to go with it. So, it's a more holistic process in terms of what we offer.”
Journalist Nick Wallis has stood by the victims of the Post Office miscarriage of justice for nearly 15 years. Now, as the Inquiry nears its end, he shares his thoughts on the saga – and the guilty
The Post Office scandal is the greatest miscarriage of justice in British legal history, with nearly a thousand wrongful prosecutions, and a massive inquiry is ongoing.
Post Office Ltd (POL) relied on “evidence” from a fatally-flawed Horizon IT system that made it look as if sub postmasters were stealing money from their businesses. And was inclined to believe whatever the Fujitsu programmers said. POL began to prosecute postmasters from early on this century, shortly after Horizon was adopted.
Later, as more and more previously law-abiding sub postmasters turned, without or planning, to a life of hopeless crime – they were contractually responsible for financial shortfalls in their branches, so stealing was nonsensical – patterns emerged that would throw into question the robustness and integrity of Horizon and Fujitsu. But POL, committed to its shiny new IT project, ignored the protests and carried on, prosecution-happy, even after it had lost more than a dozen cases – losses which it kept very quiet about in future years.
All the prosecutions were brought by POL itself rather than the Crown Prosecution Service, and public and legal scrutiny as a result was very limited. Sub postmasters who found themselves in the dock were each lied to by POL that they were the only ones to have lost money; then bullied and blackmailed into pleading guilty, repaying “stolen” sums, or resigning. Many sub postmasters, assured that a guilty plea or a “repayment” would see the end of the matter, found themselves thrown into prison anyway – people such as Seema Misra, who was even pregnant at the time.
Accused postmasters often found themselves vilified within the communities that had come to trust them, and many were subject to racial abuse. POL debt collectors, working on commission, hounded and doorstepped the accused, who began to experience ill-health, family break-ups and mental breakdowns, even suicides.
The sub postmasters’ union was no help, because it was being financed by POL and was interested only in smoothing the way between itself and its paymaster. It merely whispered what the POL advised: give yourself up, computers don’t lie, just come clean.
At one point a slight nervousness entered POL and it hired two forensic accountants – Ron Warmington and Ian Henderson of Second Sight – to produce a report, which made uncomfortable reading in that it highlighted instances where Horizon had plainly been untrustworthy, implying that prosecutions might be unsafe. There was no Third Sight: Ron and Ed were undermined and then sacked.
POL discomfort (or growing terror) was compounded when Simon Clarke, a barrister working for a law firm retained by the organisation, looked into the matter and discovered that the Fujitsu expert witness – Gareth Jenkins – whose testimony had led to the conviction and imprisonment of dozens of luckless sub postmasters, had lied and obfuscated on many matters under oath in the witness box, rendering every conviction unsafe. This was the notorious “Clarke advice”, which POL promptly made vanish until 2020, when it was finally pried from POL’s grasp.
The prosecutions continued for many years and the conspiracy grew deeper with each sub postmaster’s false conviction.
By now, of course, a very bad but limited mistake of over-reliance on experts and technology starting two decades earlier had metastasized into the greatest legal scandal of the century, with literally hundreds of sub postmasters prosecuted, sacked, bankrupted and ruined.
This was partly for the sake of keeping POL – which had been seeking £1.5 billion in new funding from the government – looking competent and professional. Such a scandal breaking might have proven an existential matter for POL. But lethal blowback is now searing its way through the ranks of the Executive great and good (and to an extent, government) as the Post Office Inquiry goes on, wrecking reputations and placing many – one hopes – in the cold blast of serious legal jeopardy.
Sir Alan Bates, Founder, Justice for Subpostmasters Alliance (Photo Andrew Matthews - WPA Pool/Getty Images)
The mood in the country turned decisively against POL after the drama, Mr Bates vs The Post Office, was broadcast on four consecutive days from 1 January 2024. To have the entire saga laid out in a manner the public could grasp – and become outraged over – seemed almost like a miracle.
But from very early on, one man had been keeping the flame alive and doing the serious footwork of investigating and documenting all that was happening. That was Nick Wallis, an ex-BBC journalist, now a freelancer, whose Post Office Scandal website relentlessly exposed all the POL goings on, all the obfuscation, lies and evasions, the injustices and contradictions, the rumours and scandals. For years, Nick kept plugging away, always modestly, always making it clear that he was supporting the victims, the suffering sub postmasters.
In the end he wrote a book about it, The Great Post Office Scandal – in a sense a book that remains very much unfinished as we approach the culmination of the Inquiry and await the findings of its Chair, Sir Wyn Williams; and then subsequently the deliberations of the police and Crown Prosecution Service, to see whether a measure of justice will finally be meted out to the conspirators.
Asian Trader recently spoke to Nick to get his personal view about all that has gone on, and to gain an understanding of the inner workings of this greatest scandal.
Story of a scandal
“I've been following the story since 2010, watching it develop, reporting on it for various outlets, mainly the BBC,” says Nick and explains that it was only after a Court of Appeal judgment in 2021 that the government finally bowed to public pressure and agreed to make the inquiry statutory, “at which point we all knew that that would mean there was at least a possibility that we would start to hear some answers”.
Nick has been in the Inquiry hall at Aldgate House in London as often as possible, live-tweeting, for a process that has been ongoing now for over a year.
"I think one of the best things that happened to the inquiry,” Nick says, "was starting it with the human impact hearing, where you had a parade of downtrodden but honest people who had an extraordinary integrity, explaining step by step, exactly what the Post Office did to them.
“Just one or two of these stories should outrage anyone, but there were hundreds. I mean, dozens of people gave live oral evidence, and then there were many, many more witness statements that were given to the inquiry. And I think for the entire inquiry – the Secretariat, the team of barristers, the Chair and his facilitators – it focussed them on getting to the truth of what happened, and they have carried that spirit.”
The POL and Fujitsu and legal people who did have something to hide and did have to justify appalling decisions “didn't come across so well because they were essentially found out by the evidence”.
REUTERS/Hollie Adams
I suggest that there were two exposures, one of the Establishment and its complacency and self-interest. And there was the exposure of what we've come to see is “professionalism” and all the ills that it can foster within an organization.
“What the scandal exposed is the absolute dereliction of duty by so many different sectors and professions and industries,” says Nick. “The corporate governance of the Post Office was negligent. The Post Office executive withheld information from the Board. The Board was not giving the correct information to the shareholder executive or the government department. The shareholder executive wasn't analysing the data that they were getting or asking the relevant questions. They were, in turn, misinforming the ministers, who again, knew they were sitting on a huge problem at times, but failed to apply themselves properly to investigate. And on top of that were the consistent failures of the legal profession to do their duty with regard to the courts and justice, rather than their own naked self-interest.”
Put like that, it seems pretty damning.
Not Rumpole of the Bailey
The legal profession – with honourable exceptions, such as Lord Arbuthnot and the excellent team of backs and lawyers who have conducted the questioning at the Inquiry – have not been morally impressive.
“The Post Office lawyers appear to have been characterized largely by – I would say incompetence just about shades out malice. And utter indifference, or in fact scorn for the sub postmasters, who were the lifeblood of their organization,” says Nick. “A lot of the litigators acting for the Post Office’s external organizations were particularly gruesome, and the barristers that they employed.”
At one point the POL on advice of its legal team, tried to get a judge who had found against them in an earlier hearing, the excellent and technically knowledgeable Mr Justice Fraser, sacked (“recused”) so that he could no longer adjudicate on the actions regarding the sub postmasters. This backfired very badly on POL.
“It’s a perfect example of lawyers who can come in, get paid an awful lot of money to throw their weight and opinions around, with in most circumstances absolutely no skin in the game. They got caught out because this was such a big scandal. It is the class of person, at the very highest levels of the legal profession and the establishment, who could not give a monkey’s about the truth of what was happening. And we saw this with plenty of the other lawyers,” Nick concludes with justifiable contempt.
(Photo by TOLGA AKMEN/AFP via Getty Images)
I say that, in all this time, nobody at POL wondered about why an entire class of person – sub postmasters – would decide to become criminal, all in the same way, and all with so little chance of profiting from it.
“It's purely cultural,” he answers. “The development of the Post Office and the admission of sub postmasters into the ranks of the Post Office was predicated with a class loathing, which resented their existence from the very start and saw them all as potential risks to the business, potential thieves. When discrepancies were supposedly highlighted by the Horizon IT system, they took the assurances from Fujitsu that there was nothing wrong it and were able to reinforce their prejudices against sub postmasters, by assuming their guilt. It’s culture, and culture trumps everything; culture even trumps the law.
“If you have bad culture in the legal profession, or in the corporate governance environment, or in a political, or governmental environment, that will manifest itself in injustice.”
Very many sub postmasters (and of course sub postmistresses) are of South Asian origin, and I ask Nick whether he believes racism and prejudice played a part in the prosecutions. I quote a witness testimony from a Fujitsu call-centre employee, where distressed sub postmasters would call when they saw something wrong in their accounts.
The testimony recalled how a cry would go up: “We’ve got another Patel!” – to indicate another “crook” had surfaced. There were classifications for “Negroid” in the Post Office HR bureaucracy. What was going on there?
“I had a theory that the Post Office was indiscriminate in who it prosecuted,” replies Nick. “I think the racial classification codes were shocking and appalling. The fact that the Post Office had not updated them from when they were grandfathered into the organization, from the same racist Metropolitan Police identification codes from the late 1970s, speaks volumes about their incompetence.”
Former sub-postmistress Seema Misra (Photo by HENRY NICHOLLS/AFP via Getty Images)
And the ex-coppers they employed to go after the sub postmasters.
“What I do think is particularly interesting, is when those non-white sub postmasters enter the criminal justice system. You've got a cohort of people who've never committed any crimes, because you can't become a sub postmaster if you haven't got a spotless record. Then, when you compare their sentences and the way they were treated by the criminal courts with those of their white counterparts, they seem to get massively disproportionate sentences for their first offense.”
So, it’s in the system rather than personal?
"A white sub postmaster might escape jail,” explains Nick. “A non-white sub postmaster gets a custodial sentence. A white sub postmaster gets a custodial sentence. A non-white one gets a much harsher and longer one. There is now a very interesting cohort of people to be studied because they don't have any previous offending, and therefore you can conceivably compare like-with-like.
Nick has been trying for some time now to get the data out of POL and then the government and has been working with Professor Richard Moorhead at the University of Essex to try to extract that data, but he says, “It’s been like pulling teeth. It's been glacial.”
Birth of a crime
When, I ask, does Nick believe the prosecutions tip over from being a screw-up to being an actual criminal conspiracy?
“Second Sight went in, and after a year, produced an interim report which suggested that there were two known faults with Horizon. One of the external prosecuting barristers saw this report, and within days wrote what became known as the first Clarke advice.
“That was an explosive document, it was an unexploded bomb that had just been handed to the Post Office. Its most senior lawyer read it and did not pass it on to the chief executive or the Post Office Board.
“What we still do not know is how much of the contents of that advice was communicated to the Post Office chief executive and the Post Office Board. But the Post Office CEO, Paula Vennels, wondered whether they should do a proper investigation of all their prosecutions, and she was shut down by their Head of Communications, Mark Davies, who said no, it would create a massive story, and isn't worth it.”
That meant a chain of events was set in motion which “essentially led to them being patted on the back by the various people they were paying to pat them on the back and tell them that that they didn't have a problem.”
Nick says, “That was the point when this went from appalling, terrible, inept, malicious, indifferent cock-up to a conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.”
What next?
Phase Seven of the PO Inquiry his now in session – that's the That's the recommendations and reflections section that will eventually recommend future changes in POL (and hopefully more widely) to ensure nothing like this ever happens again.
But what about punishment for the wrongdoers, now we can pretty much see what happened and who did what in POL and Fujitsu and in various law firms.? Nick lays out how this world of government and big organisations works. Why did the endless ministers responsible apparently never do very much to find out what was going on?
“Information was reaching ministers through non-official means, and they were doing what they could against a machine that was determined to repel any kind of substantive exercise in raising the bonnet or lifting up the rock, and so consistently failed to uncover the problem. There was a vested interest in keeping the problem covered up.”
The system again.
Former Post Office chief executive Paula Vennells arrives to testify at the Post Office inquiry on May 22, 2024 in London, England. Paula Vennells worked as the Post Office chief executive during the key Horizon operating years from 2012 - 2019. (Photo by Carl Court/Getty Images)
“Too many people had too much to lose by saying, Okay, let's, let's do a root and branch investigation into what has gone wrong here. They knew that if they kept digging, what they found could be existential for the government and the Post Office. But when it comes to miscarriages of justice, that's the point at which you should say, I don't care if this loses me my job. I don't care if the whole cabinet has to resign. I don't care if my career prospects are blighted going forward and forever stained by a crisis that will have my name attached to it simply because I did something about it.”
Is it also that beyond this point that if I don't say something, I enter the realm of legal liability? I ask.
“I've long said that it's all very well having a carrot for whistleblowers, and to say that they’ll be protected – which, at the moment they're not – but you also need to have a whacking big stick whereby, if a senior person sees, suspects or comes across a document which even suggests something might have gone seriously wrong, that if they don't do their utmost to investigate it and alert whoever they need to alert, then there's a good chance they might go to jail. And that just simply doesn't exist in this country.”
Do you think that in the police investigation, they're going to do the FBI thing, where they'll try and tip somebody low down and then somebody higher, somebody higher, until they get somebody important
“We were all rather hoping the inquiry would turn into a circular firing squad, but it hasn't. There's no jeopardy for them, apart from maybe a bit of mild criticism or even strong criticism from Sir Wyn Williams when he finally reports.
“They can ride out whatever happens in the public arena as they're giving evidence – it's yesterday's chip paper. But if the Jeopardy is that they may well end up with a criminal conviction or jail time, it is entirely possible that some of the people who have not been as fulsome with their answers as they could have been in the inquiry, will start pointing the finger of blame at people who were directly responsible, and the police may be able to put together a case to charge those individuals higher up the chain.”
Nick’s book is available on Amazon and on his website, and it’s a brilliant, definitive read. What is the next project?
“I'm in talks to write a new book about the Gender Wars,” he says, “which is not such a departure as it sounds because it is all tied up in legal procedurals.”
“You're very brave man,” I say, with genuine admiration.
“Well, I like a scrap, and I would like to say there's no way that I will abandon this story. It's going to be part of my career for as long as the story has legs, and it's certainly got a long way left to run.”
In today’s fast-changing retail landscape, Bestway Wholesale is known for making bold moves when necessary. But lately, it’s store arm, Bestway Retail, has been buzzing with fresh ideas, capturing the attention of both the industry and consumers alike.
From pioneering hybrid new store models to spearheading customer-centric strategies, strengthening retailer relation and expanding own brand line, Bestway Retail has been cementing its position as a dynamic player for some time now.
The biggest buzz right now is around their innovative approach of “store within a store”, also known as dual store or hybrid store concept. Introducing back-to-back permutations and combinations of its different symbol groups (Costcutter, Best-One, Bargain Booze, Wine Rack, Select Convenience and Central Convenience) in a new dual store format, Bestway Retail is definitely on to something fresh and intriguing.
Asian Trader got in touch with Bestway Retail Director Jamie Davison, who is said to be the driving force behind Bestway’s recent redefinition of convenience stores.
Davison explained, “Our dual supply hybrid store concept focuses on the different customer demographics and having the right offer and proposition that meets the needs of local customers in that catchment area.
“We believe that our new concept stores define the future of convenience. This innovative and pioneering concept brings together the strength of the Costcutter or Best-one’ convenience offer with the leading beers, wines, and spirits lines available from Bargain Booze or Wine Rack to make a fantastic proposition for both retailers and consumers alike.
“We are proud of our hybrid concept that allows retailers to not only compete, but to thrive and take on all competitors within the convenience market with confidence.”
Daring Duals
Introduced by former Bestway retail director Mike Hollis in early 2022, the inspiration behind this model stems from the thought that no two stores are completely alike.
The first Costcutter-Bargain Booze hybrid store was adopted by Costcutter retailer Peter Patel at his Meopham store in Kent, showcasing a 420 sq ft Bargain Booze section inside his 1,900 sq ft store. The store reported a spike of “166 per cent” in alcohol sales after the refit and rebranding.
Another such dual-branded store in Bolton has also been seeing encouraging numbers since it adopted Costcutter-Bargain Booze model. With two prominent brands displayed outside the store, retailer Kersheaup Vagadia’s store has been seeing a “significant increase” both in footfall and in average basket spend.
What makes this hybrid model so compelling? In an era where personalisation is key, Bestway’s hybrid stores seem to hit the nail with their adaptability and flexibility.
The “marriage of the two brands” means the hybrid stores have an exciting and market leading alcohol offer to complement the leading grocery proposition, Davison said, adding that some dual stores have been boosting store sales by a whopping “220 per cent”.
Under the umbrella of “store within a store” model, Bestway Retail has so far introduced Costcutter-Bargain Booze proposition and Costcutter-Wine Rack model.
Wine Rack hybrid is for a “more premium demographic with its range of wines and Champagnes” while Bargain Booze one targets the “mass market looking for value offerings”, Davison explained.
The first Costcutter Wine Rack hybrid store opened in Guildford in late 2023, a concept that is set to be rolled out wider across the Southwest.
Calling them “a key part of Bestway Retail’s winning formula”, Davison stated that the hybrid stores provide shoppers with “wide fresh and chilled offering, Own Label (Coop, Best-in), wide range of branded groceries, a full suite of Food-to-Go options, exceptional usage of locally sourced Direct to Store Supply Partnerships (over 300), specialist BWS offer,£5 million investment in marketing packages and significant investment in social media channels”.
Davison continued, “Our dual supply hybrid stores were executed by drawing off the extensive knowledge and expertise of colleagues and departments across Bestway businesses, working collaboratively with partners to ensure the store-within-a-store concept delivered the right proposition for the store demographic.”
Bestway Retail has so far completed 10 of the dual-branded conversions. The wholesale giant said it was planning to expand the concept and supply into areas of the UK within which Bargain Booze had not historically operated.
Meanwhile, Davison stated that Bestway Retail is aiming to have “100 such hybrid cum dual stores by the end of 2024”.Bestway Retail’s plans don’t stop there. The group has also struck a long-term partnership with SimplyFresh, allowing SimplyFresh retailers to open dual-fascia stores with Bargain Booze and Wine Rack brands.
With almost 30 years of experience in retail, Davison is clearly a veteran and a seasoned retail expert who knows the business inside out- definitely a perfect person to lead a bold initiative like this.
Starting his career with his own store, Davison joined Costcutter in 1999 where he quickly climbed the ranks to become Business Development Director of New Business. He came to Bestway along with Costcutter acquisition, joining as Business Development Director, a position he has held since 2021.
In current role of Retail Director which he took last year, Davison has overall accountability for the new business and store development teams along with overall responsibility for the support and development of the Best-one, Costcutter, Bargain Booze, Wine Rack brands, along with relationships held with symbol retailers.
Davison told Asian Trader, “My role is focused on engaging with our customers and ensuring my team are supporting and driving our customers plans to grow’. I am ensuring that we continue to develop our retailer engagement and the propositions and services that we offer.”
For a company supporting over 3,000 retail outlets under its core brands, such a commitment to growth is certainly no small task.
Meanwhile, Bestway Retail’s renewed focus on its symbol retailers, driven by Davison, is now starting to show results. The numbers are speaking for themselves.
Davison said, “Average weekly purchasing figures from new hybrid group of stores is nearly double the average of a non-hybrid Costcutter, Bargain Booze or Wine Rack retailer. Rebate being paid back to a hybrid retailer by Bestway is +40 per cent vs the average paid to non-hybrid Costcutter which demonstrates loyalty.”
The other encouraging figures reported at dual stores are “3 per cent margin growth as well as margin rate improvement, 40 per cent improvement in footfall, 48 per cent increase in weekly sales and +11.7 per cent average basket spend”, Davison informed.
Bestway’s focus isn’t limited to its hybrid stores. The company has also undertaken a major facelift for its Best-One brand, refreshing the way these stores are presented, ensuring a vibrant and modern look and feel is carried out both internally and externally.
Davison said, “The main focus of this modernisation was to overhaul, focus on key promotions for low demographic areas and the introduction of an up weighted own label presence.”
The pilot of revamped Best-one, that opened near Bristol, boasts of “refreshed 3D-halo, back lit fascia and new vinyl’s that reflect what the store is selling”. The refreshed Best One model also has “stronger value message, promotion gondola, twice dump bins, floor stacks and dedicated own label range in “Best-in bay”.
“Customers love what we have done, and they are supporting us with their pounds,” Davison said.
Buzz has it that there is another hybrid model brewing, which could see a Bargain Booze store sited within a Best-one, or vice-versa, depending on whether the store in question is grocery or alcohol-driven. The concept would likely replace the current Select Convenience format.
Retailer relations
To strengthen its relationship with retailers, Bestway has been developing retailer engagement programmes for its 3000 retailer outlets.
Davison told Asian Trader, “Relationships are at the heart of all we do, and we want to continue to support that. We have introduced our retailer forums across all our brands; we are holding retailer regional meetings.”
Bestway’s retailer showcase held in May was the “biggest and the most successful” the group has seen to date, with the attendance of more than 500 retailers.
He pointed out, “We also make sure to engage with suppliers and develop partnerships and networking opportunities for our colleagues. Throughout the year we plug in opportunities for social events as well to strengthen the relationship building with retailers and suppliers. Every end of the year we come together in November to celebrate our colleagues, our retailers and our valued supplier partners as well at our Bestway Awards.”
Davison also credited the field teams, highlighting their role in constantly supporting retailers.
He said, “Our field team helps retailers understand their key catchment area, the trade zone that they operate in, to be able to compete in their specific location and bring the relevant ranges, fulfill the missions of the various shopper personas and bring their shopper a key value offer and maximize the opportunities out there.”
While Bestway is undoubtedly focused on growth, it hasn’t lost sight of the challenges facing the convenience sector.
Davison informed, “We have developed a very strong own label proposition to bring value to shoppers impacted by the cost-of-living crisis. Having three principles in mind – margin, value and quality – the range features almost 200 lines.”
Retail crime is another pressing issue.
He said, “We are working closely with our retailers and use our forums to ensure we listed to the issues and provide support with solutions. With Dawood Pervez (managing director at Bestway Wholesale) being a chairman of FWD, we also seek support from the rest of the industry as well where applicable.”
As the retail landscape continues to shift, Bestway Retail is also preparing for the impact of new legislative restrictions, such as the disposable vape ban and possible Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) regulations.
He said, “We acknowledge the importance of all these policies and respect them and are working with our customers to transition and mitigate any risks. For example, when it comes to the HFSS regulations, we have been developing our Good Food project for over two years now, with the objective to bring healthier options to our customers.”
Future is here
Davison’s extensive experience in convenience retail, combined with his deep understanding of the industry, gives him a unique perspective. His advice to independent retailers is simple yet profound that “one size or model does not fit all” and it is important to get to know the customers and adapt the propositions to tailor serving specific needs.
Looking ahead, Davison seems laser-focused to further develop dual-branded stores, ensuring “there's a perfect fit for everyone”.
He told Asian Trader, “Our focus is on creating dynamic, modern, and customer-centric spaces that cater to evolving shopper missions.
“We will tailor solutions to the unique needs of our retailers and optimise our Shopper First program to target key audience demographics to help pinpoint the right offers. Whether a bustling city centre outlet, community store or a cosy neighbourhood shop, we've got it covered.”
In many ways, Bestway Retail’s hybrid store model encapsulates the group’s as well as Davison’s philosophy- flexibility, agility, adaptability, personalisation and local relevance. As the retail landscape continues to evolve, it’s clear that Bestway is not just keeping pace but is ahead of the curve. The future, it seems, is already here.
David Wyatt explains how a major refit, great staff and a store-within-a-store spells success
David Wyatt, the recipient of the Symbol Retailer of the Year award at the 34th Asian Trader Awards, is a seasoned retailer who began his journey in retail at the tender age of 16 as a cashier, quickly progressing to management roles in his late teens and early twenties.
By 18, he was managing a petrol station at Fulham Palace Road in Hammersmith, London, and soon moved up to oversee multiple sites. His career took a pivotal turn 28 years ago when he joined Crawley Down Group, a family-run business where he has remained ever since, managing the Costcutter-Bargain Booze forecourt store in Crawley.
“The site wasn't built at that time, so I came down here beforehand, and here I've been ever since,” he says.
He has been associated with the Costcutter symbol group for over two decades, witnessing both the highs and lows of the brand.
“I remember being signed up by Jamie Davidson (now Retail Director at Bestway Wholesale) 20-21 years ago. So, we've been down the road with Costcutter for quite a while, during their ups and downs,” Wyatt reminisces.
Best of both worlds
In 2023, he oversaw a significant refit of his store, which included the introduction of the Bargain Booze concept alongside the Costcutter fascia. The dual-branded store has proven to be highly successful, particularly in expanding and improving the store's alcohol offering.
“We had a 24-hour off license, anyhow. So, when we had the opportunity to put a Bargain Booze in, with their range, knowledge and pricing, it seemed a no-brainer, and it really was the right decision,” he explains.
“Because it's clear that Bargain Booze had a wealth of experience on wines, on RTDs, ciders, and their promotions – it's a little bit different. They have a taste in the wines and everything, which is a bit more sort of you see in Marks and Spencer and Waitrose. It was a different proposition, and I must admit, it's been an amazing success in the last year.”
In addition, he has been able to increase his spirits range by 400 per cent, while stocking products in smaller quantities.
“I don't have to buy everything by the case. So being able to have a bigger range and only purchasing one or two bottles, again, from a cost perspective, I'm not sitting on so much stock. So that worked very well,” he says.
Wyatt values the support from Bestway Wholesale, the owner of Costcutter and Bargain Booze brands, and the strong relationships he has built with the group.
“I'm quite a loyal person. I've been loyal to Costcutter, Shell, and I think that's reciprocated when I have problems. And that's relationship, isn't it,” he says. “The people that I've come in contact within Costcutter, whether that's Jamie Davidson or Adrian O'Brien [Head of Symbol – Bestway Retail], they're all very knowledgeable people, so I lean on their shoulders when required.”
He considers the store-in-store concept being promoted by Bestway Retail as a step in the “right direction.”
“They're driving forward within the symbol groups, and putting brands together makes the proposition for the customer stronger,” he adds.
A significant aspect of Wyatt's retail strategy involves leveraging the Co-op on brand range, which he finds particularly crucial in the current economic climate.
“Co-op is a strong own brand, and within each category, we have a quite a strong representation of Co-op own brand,” he says.
“It's important that the customers, who are more price conscious, need to have the option on the shelf alongside the normal brand that may be more expensive. Co-op is well known, trusted, and especially within the chilled, Co-op own brand is very important to us.”
Expanding innovation
Wyatt's innovative approach to retail is evident in the cutting-edge features and carefully-curated product categories of his store.
One of Wyatt’s key innovations is the introduction of electronic labeling. He views this as more than just a cost-saving measure, emphasising the precision and professionalism it brings.
“There is a cost to staff putting out labels, and then there's a cost of having electronic labels. But then I think that's only part of the story,” he explains.
“One of the things that I found, especially in bigger stores, is that if you're relying on staff to put out X amount of labels, at any given time, you can't be sure that all your prices are correct, whereas with electronic labels you know the price is always correct.”
The labels not only display the price but also provide comparisons with competitors such as Tesco Express, giving customers confidence that they are getting a good deal.
“So, yes, there's a cost saving, and there's a cost to have them. But to my mind, you know that you have peace of mind of every single price in the shop is correct. And to me, it's a no brainer. You just have that confidence. You don't have people coming to the till saying the label says, ‘it’s this price and it's the wrong price’,” he says.
The labels also streamline promotions, allowing customised spotlight displays for seasonal campaigns, which improve the overall store presentation and customer engagement.
“With this, say, with Halloween coming, I can create a Halloween spotlight. Add in the products, and all those labels will have, like a little skull or pumpkin or whatever I decide on those products. It's all done electronically. Otherwise, you'd have to go out on some of these things. Costcutter kind of sends out the things they deem relevant to Halloween, but you could put anything on there. So again, it gives you flexibility,” he adds.
Top sellers
Wyatt's food-to-go offering also sets his store apart from competitors, positioning it as a convenient and competitive option in the local market that has the presence of chains like Subway, Greggs and Costa Coffee.
“Within the food to go, I wanted to create something a little bit more bespoke. So, I work with Stone Willys Kitchen, they do wraps and pizzas and things like that. I bought a milkshake machine, so we create our own milkshakes, barista coffee machine, so we can do coffees. We're just starting on smoothies as well. And I am doing a lot of work at the moment with Delice. We swap out a lot of our breads and cakes and croissants and the like,” he explains.
The store offers an impressive array of meal deals, catering for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
“As opposed to just having a sandwich meal deal, we’ve got wrap meal deals, burger meal deals, breakfast meal deals, helping people to save money by widening what is normally known as a like just a standard meal deal,” he adds.
Though an initial attempt at click-and-collect didn’t take off, partly due to the due to the efficiency of their grab-and-go system. “We found that people would just come in, because they could just grab and go whatever they wanted,” he says – Wyatt is now preparing to expand his food to go offerings via Just Eat, aiming to meet off-site demand while extending service hours.
“Delivering off site is our next sort of target, because we've held off of that for the last year just to get the offering right on site,” he says, adding: “Part of the problem is purely finding staff and having the right person here at that time of the day to grow it. We used to close (food to go) at two, now we've gone to seven, but we have a licence to go to 11. I think Just Eat and, especially the pizzas etc. will help support expanding the hours.”
His next big ambition is to capitalise on the growing demand for protein products. “We're looking within our food to go, touching on protein shakes, protein meals, protein on-the-go, snacking. I think that's probably the next growth area,” he predicts.
Wyatt's store has a thriving vape section, which generated over £120,000 in sales between May and September alone. His foresight in building dedicated vape display units, along with his collaboration with major brands like Titan, Elfbar, and Liberty Flights, positions his store as a leader in the evolving vape market.
With an eye on the impending disposable vape ban, Wyatt is now actively guiding customers towards more sustainable and cost-effective pod and liquid-based systems.
“Over the last two years, we have navigated all the ranges, as soon as it is out, we've done it. Now, over the last six months, obviously, it's been a shift to the pods, and we've managed that,” he says.
“We're managing with explaining the benefits of the cost savings for customers, because ultimately, they need to come up with disposable and they need to go on to a rechargeable product. And with that in mind, I've worked with Liberty Flights, so that we have a strong liquid base product as well as this.”
Wyatt is confident that vaping will remain a key category in his store’s future success.
“People still want the disposables, they like the flexibility. But we're noticing the transition over to IVG and these types of products. Also, you're seeing a lot of maneuvering by whether it's Elfbar, Crystal, Gold bar, they've got the four-in-one, the six-in-one, the 10,000-puff pods. If you are loyal to a brand, they're putting out the large product now. So, by the time the ban comes in, I think most people will have converted to a larger product anyhow,” he notes.
“So, we are there to support, guide, help. It's been a big category, but I think it can remain a big category. And it has been a massive area for us.”
Key to success
Wyatt is quick to acknowledge that the backbone of his success is his staff.
“Ultimately, everything comes down to my staff,” he emphasises. “We got a lot of staff that have been here a long time. They're loyal. They offer good customer service. We've created a good shopping environment, but keeping my staff is the most crucial thing.”
Whether it's ensuring they feel supported in the face of challenges like theft or paying above minimum wage to retain talent, Wyatt believes that looking after his team is paramount.
“That's the key thing. It may not be flashy or anything, but I think you’ve got to put an arm around them. Look after them, because without them, the job is very difficult, isn't it?”
Wyatt also offers a valuable piece of advice: embrace change.
“Times change. Change is coming all the time and to be ahead of it and to work with it is probably the key thing that I need to do, and that would be my tip to anyone else,” he reflects.
Kay Patel always takes adversity as a challenge, and her determination to prioritise and succeed won her the Businesswoman of the Year award
“Remaining in your comfort zone is a barrier,” according to Kay Patel, who has made a career of attaining success by being uncomfortable and testing herself to the limits.
Over three decades, Kay has transformed her business from a small independent store to a multi-million-pound enterprise, navigating personal and professional challenges with grace and determination. And, the dynamic entrepreneur behind six thriving convenience stores in Surrey has been recognised as the Businesswoman of the Year at the 2023 Asian Trader Awards.
“I did step out of my comfort zone, and I did do things. I used to do banking as well, and I obviously have to accommodate other aspects of my life. It's all about prioritising what is first,” she says. “And sometimes you've got to put yourself in there as well.”
Kay's foray into the retail industry began in 1997 when she and her then-husband acquired their first store in Box Hill, Surrey. At just 20 years old and two weeks postpartum, Kay faced the dual challenge of motherhood and entrepreneurship. But her passion for retail shone through.
“I always want to do my own business. I became a very young mother, and it was a challenge. But if you're ambitious enough and you have a motive to work towards it, I think you can balance anything in life. I just took that as strength and then carried on,” she recollects.
Growing up in a business environment, Kay was inspired by her father Jagdish Patel, who came here from Africa in 1972 and worked in a plastic-making factory, before opening his own a store in Croydon. They later moved to Surrey and from a young age Kay accompanied her father to the cash and carry, and helped with the accounts, which sparked her interest in retail.
In 1998, the Box Hill store became a Costcutter, marking the beginning of Kay's association with the symbol group. Over the next decade she expanded her portfolio, acquiring and running several stores. This period also saw Kay balancing her growing family and a part-time job as a banking advisor.
“I think organisation is a secret to balance, giving the correct job the right priority,” she says. “You've just got to make sure you're ready for every situation and be a little bit more organised – although with children, young children, you cannot always be organised. But I always prioritised what was first.”
Resilience in adversity
Kay's resilience was profoundly tested in 2020, a year marked by personal and professional upheaval. Following her divorce in February and her mother's passing in September, disaster struck in December when a fire destroyed her prized Witley Village Stores. The fire, occurring during the festive season and amid the global pandemic, left Kay without her primary source of income.
“It was such a tough, challenging time. The fire destroyed the only source of income I had at that time, so financially it was a struggle and mentally I was exhausted,” she reflects.
Despite these challenges, Kay's determination never wavered. With the moral support from her three children, she rebuilt the store, transforming it into a larger, more modern establishment. The reopened site saw a 50 per cent growth in weekly sales, a testament to Kay's ability to turn adversity into opportunity.
“It wasn't easy,” she says. “My kids were there for me, and they were my strength and the ambition to carry on. I don't know how to describe it, to be honest. It was the phase that if I collapsed, then my whole world will collapse, including my kids. But if I kept fighting and going on, it meant I would build a better future for the children. So for me, as for all mothers, their kids are priority, and I think that's what I took down as the strength and carried on thinking I need to do this, not only for myself, but for my children as well.”
Her oldest daughter is a pharmacist, and the elder of the two sons has joined her in the business after graduation, while the younger is “setting out to do his own thing”.
Prior to the fire she had made commitments to buy other stores, so it was tougher getting the finance in place with a closed store. But she secured funding to grow the business, which saw the addition of four more Surrey stores during 2021. She bought her latest store in December last year.
Each new acquisition showcased her strategic vision and innovative approach. For instance, Kay's Costcutter Cranfield, which had been closed for 11 months due to Covid-19, saw a remarkable turnaround, with takings growing from £9,000 to £22,000 and still increasing.
Creativity and attention to detail are hallmarks of Kay's business philosophy. Her stores feature unique elements such as the “Play as you Go” area at the Cranfield store, where children can play with new and exciting toys while their parents shop. This innovation not only enhances the shopping experience but also boosts sales of these toys.
“We interact with our customers, and ask them questions as to, ‘What would you like in your local store?’. We have a lot of ideas, and it's not always possible to do everything, because we have to be very cost effective, but we try and incorporate what they suggest and their opinions,” she says.
“And we also ask the team, because I've got a lot of local staff that work for me, and they know the community very well.”
Empowering her team
Kay's success is not hers alone; she attributes much of it to her dedicated team. She believes in leading by example and creating an environment where her employees feel valued and empowered.
“I think initiative is a big thing. You should always praise them for what they do. Although I own the business, they are facing the customer. So I think they need to feel valued at all times and make sure they have the right training in order for them to carry on the right duties, to expand the business, and to build that relationship with the customers as well,” she says.
Kay's approach to management includes comprehensive training programmes, regular one-on-one meetings, and team-building activities. She fosters a culture of open communication and continuous learning, encouraging her staff to take initiative and learn from their mistakes.
“Training is a key thing. I have a portfolio of my own, basically shop training, alcohol training, the compliances, health and safety, all that. We try and do all that once every three months, and keep on top of it. And then, obviously, just making sure that the team actually practice that on an everyday basis,” she explains.
Kay also emphasises cleanliness and presentation, believing that a clean and hygienic environment attracts customers.
“We have a checklist for morning, afternoon, evening. For example, we make sure our coffee machine gets cleaned at least three times a day, because that's something customers are looking at. They want to see that hygiene. Dusty shelves are not always appreciated. I think a clean and hygienic environment also brings the customers in, and that's what we work towards every day,” she says.
Community engagement
For Kay, who has been a parish councilor for six years, business is not just about profits; it is about giving back to the community. She views her stores as community hubs and actively engages with local schools and sports clubs.
Local sourcing is another cornerstone of Kay's business.
“We specialise in fine wines and spirits in one of the stores. We have our local breweries. We have our local bread supply, local eggs. And we don't really source them. They actually come to us because we're all about helping small businesses. It's very important that these small businesses survive as well. So any little help that we can give by purchasing from them, I think it's a great idea, because it puts revenue back into the community,” she notes.
She highlights how the local businesses stepped up during the pandemic, when stores faced availability issues.
“It was the small businesses that actually delivered the bread, the eggs, and the flour. We used to buy a 10 kilo bag of flour to bag up on the premises and do one kilo each and sell it, because we couldn't get any flour, any pasta,” she says. “It was the small businesses that actually kept us going as well. So, it goes around in a circle, doesn't it?”
It’s the journey
Kay is a strong advocate for women in retail and she says winning the Businesswoman of the Year award from Asian Trader was a proud moment for her.
“I was absolutely gobsmacked when I was nominated, and I felt very proud,” she says. “Think about it, after 30 years, I was recognised. I've been doing this for 30 years. It's a very long time, and to achieve an award after all this, because you don't expect anything. You just keep going. You do what you're good at, you do what you're good at, you do what you're good at. Very rarely, someone comes up to you and says, ‘You know what? someone else is actually proud of you’.”
While she thinks that women are now getting more recognised than they were before, she would like to see even more of it.
“There are a lot of women out there that do a lot of things, but not their skills and their knowledge and their efforts, they're not appreciated,” she says.
“When Asian Trader brought out the Businesswoman of the Year award, I think it was a fantastic thing. They actually recognised that women are in business, and they do have a business head. They can also run a business successfully, as successfully as running their home and looking after the kids,” she says.
She encourages young women to pursue their dreams, emphasising the importance of the journey rather than the destination.
“I think they should go ahead and listen to what they want to do. It can be a challenge, but I think every challenge is a learning curve, and I think they should go out there in the world and show their talent and show that they've actually got something to give back to the community,” she says.
“It's not about the destination, it's about the journey. Destination could be anywhere, you can reach your destination as in little time as you want to, but it’s the journey that you actually live towards it, the learning curves you learn, the people you meet, the friends you make – the enemies you make!”
In fact, you’ll see a canvas with this quote – “It’s not about the destination, it’s about the journey” – In each of her stores.
“Although everybody reaches their destination, everything they learn through reaching that destination is important. That's my motive. It will always be so,” Kay concludes.