Experienced Middlesbrough convenience store owner Bay Bashir has expanded his local retail footprint with the opening of his sixth store, Go Local Extra on Borough Road.
Together with his sons Ellis and Max, Bay took on the new 1,500-sq-ft site at 176 Borough Road, adding to their existing portfolio of stores in Belle Vue, Beechwood, Saltersgill, Fleet, and Wolviston. The store will be managed and operated day-to-day by Ellis and Max with support from Bay.
The new store, which was previously a Best-One convenience store for 20 years, extends the Bashir family’s established partnership with employee-owned wholesaler Go Local Wholesale, formerly known as Parfetts.
Bay opened his first Middlesbrough store in Belle Vue in 1999 and became a loyal Go Local Extra retailer eight years ago.
The Borough Road store features an expanded range of convenience services, including Lottery, PayPoint, a slush machine, and a self-serve Costa Coffee station.
To mark the opening, the first 120 customers spending £10 or more received a complimentary goody bag, while the 500th customer through the doors won a 55-inch smart TV.
Bay Bashir, said: "Trading conditions across independent retail are tough, but working with Go Local Wholesale gives us the margin protection, footfall drivers, and operational flexibility we need to keep growing. Their strong stock availability, sharp promotional pricing, and transparent approach let us pass clear savings on to our customers without squeezing our margins.
“Opening this outstanding sixth site is a proud moment for our family, with my sons taking on all operational and management duties. Having worked so closely with the Go Local Wholesale team on my previous stores, I wouldn’t have it any other way and Go Local Extra was the only choice for Ellis and Max’s first store together. Having reliable, straightforward wholesaler backing and full symbol group support makes scaling up our business much easier."
Bay, Ellis and Max bring a strong track record of community involvement to the new site. Across his retail store network, Bay regularly supports local causes, including sponsoring kits and equipment for Boro Rangers football club, assisting nearby schools such as Beech Grove Primary, and fundraising for regional charities including Teesside Hospice and James Cook University Hospital. The family has raised over £10,000 for local good causes.
Guy Swindell, joint managing director at Go Local Wholesale, said: "Bay is an exceptional retailer whose commitment to his community and high operational standards represent the very best of local retailing. His focus on quality service makes him an ideal partner as we continue to grow our symbol estate across the UK.
"As Go Local Wholesale expands nationally, our priority remains providing ambitious retailers like Bay with the buying power, flexible trading terms, and practical support they need to run efficient, profitable stores."
Go Local Wholesale operates nine depots across the UK, supplying over 2,000 symbol group retailers with free membership and free delivery.
Bashir family opens sixth store with Go Local Wholesale
The Bashir family has opened its sixth store with Go Local Wholesale, adding another location to its retail business.
Go Local Wholesale
By Pooja ShrivastavaOct 27, 2026
Pooja Shrivastava
A passionate journalist with about a decade of experience, Pooja has developed a strong hold on the UK grocery retail sector. From exploring legislative changes, supply chain shifts, consumer buying habits, trends to retail crime, her work is driven by a deep belief in investigating, finding the truth and telling authentic unbiased stories.
Be it convenience pathbreakers, wholesale trendsetters or Post Office Horizon scandal victims, Pooja has an equal flair for deciphering industries as well as human complexities. At Asian Trader, she aims to bridge the gap between policy, trade, and the shop floor, always keeping a finger on the pulse of what matters most to retailers.