A.F. Blakemore is delighted to announce that respected Lincolnshire retailer Tom Dant, Managing Director of Gill Marsh Forecourts, has re‑signed a long‑term agreement with SPAR, reaffirming the symbol group as the brand of choice across his largest and best‑performing stores.
Tom operates a five‑site estate across Lincolnshire, four of these are SPAR stores. His portfolio includes a mix of forecourt and standalone convenience stores, with each location tailored to its local community. His SPAR sites include Bilsby Filling Station, Partney Filling Station, Ulceby Cross, and Louth, all supplied by A.F. Blakemore.
After reviewing the market and each store's performance, Tom chose to continue his long‑standing partnership with SPAR. He says this decision was driven by sustained sales growth, strong commercial terms, and the flexibility SPAR offers independent retailers.
Tom said: “We’ve looked closely at the market and at how each of our stores is performing. SPAR has consistently delivered - commercially, operationally and through the well received refit programme. Ulceby redevelopment pushed the site beyond £60k a week, which gave us huge confidence in what SPAR and A.F. Blakemore can help us achieve. Re‑signing was absolutely the right decision for our business.
"We've built a strong partnership with A.F. Blakemore and I'm looking forward to continuing this relationship.”
His estate includes diverse formats:
- Bilsby operates as a village convenience store with a Post Office and strong local supplier partnerships.
- Partney serves coastal traffic and holidaymakers with caravan essentials, world foods and specialist ranges.
- Ulceby Cross, the flagship site, has undergone a major expansion to become a destination store with seating, Wi‑Fi, and a high‑performing food‑to‑go offer under the Tom’s Kitchen brand.
- Louth operates as a standalone convenience store serving the town centre.
Tom added: “SPAR gives us the independence we value, but with the support and structure we need to keep growing. The blend works. Our SPAR sites have gone from strength to strength, and choosing to keep our biggest and best stores with SPAR speaks for itself.”
Tom’s sister Lois, who manages Ulceby Cross, and business partner Gill, who co‑owns the estate, have also been closely involved in the decision to re‑sign. This reinforces the long‑standing relationship between the family‑run business and A.F. Blakemore.
A.F. Blakemore’s BTP+ programme has supported the estate’s development, offering commercial advantages, operational expertise and a refit model that has helped Tom elevate both forecourt and convenience formats.
Tom Blakemore, Retail Sales Director at A.F. Blakemore, said: “Tom is a highly respected operator across both forecourt and convenience retail, and we’re delighted he has chosen to continue his journey with SPAR.
"His decision to keep his largest and highest‑performing stores under the SPAR fascia shows the strength of our partnership and the confidence he has in our commercial model. We’re committed to supporting Tom’s growth for the long term.”
The renewed agreement symbolises a true partnership and reinforces A.F. Blakemore’s commitment to supporting independent retailers across Lincolnshire and beyond.