Maxol, Northern Ireland’s leading family-owned forecourt and convenience retailer, has completed its re-development of Maxol Belvoir Service Station on the Milltown Road in Belfast following an investment of £3.6 million.
The six-month project has seen the large site reconfigured with a new forecourt and large new convenience store that has created a blueprint for modern day roadside retail.
The investment is part of a wider, £84M five-year capital investment programme that Maxol is delivering across its growing network to meet the increasing demand for convenience-led forecourt services that include coffee, groceries and food-to-go.
Latest SPAR concept
Maxol Belvoir is operated under license by Maxol’s retail partner, the Henderson Group and it offers the latest SPAR concept in a new store that has nearly trebled in size. Customers can now shop for everyday grocery essentials from an extensive display of fresh local produce, a wide range of dairy and chilled produce and a large selection of frozen foods. A new locally produced range of pre-packed butchery items and a selection of ready-made meals complete the offer.
From breakfast through to lunchtime, a brand-new Delish Deli and self-serve Chicken Bar offers customers a delicious range of freshly prepared hot food to take-away. Other new additions include an in-store bakery offering a range of pastries and sweet treats alongside the popular BARISTA BAR coffee which has doubled to two units, to meet increasing demand. Customers can relax with their sandwich or coffee in a modern seating area.
With technology playing an increasing role in providing customer efficiency, three self-checkouts have been installed to give customers greater choice and convenience, while electronic shelf-edge (ESL) labelling provides accurate pricing. Non-food items available include a comprehensive range of Maxol own-brand engine oils, AdBlue and car care products. New customer toilets have also been included within the store development.
New forecourt
The newly expanded forecourt has also been re-configured and now has fifty-one car parking spaces including four accessible parking bays. Premium Fuels have been introduced to enable customers to make greener motoring choices and Pay at Pump technology is now available, giving fuel customers a quicker and more convenient way to pay for fuel and car wash at the pumps. A new drive-through car wash has been re-located to the rear of the site and customers now have the options of payment by contactless card, pay at pump or instore.
Sustainable development
Maxol’s sustainable forecourt design has been fully implemented at Maxol Belvoir. Technology has been used to reduce the site’s carbon footprint and measures taken include photovoltaic (solar) panels to reduce electrical import requirements; solar efficient glazing; the use of LED lights; low energy CO2 refrigeration systems with doors fitted throughout the store; exhaust air-heat pump technology to reduce heating loads; and an energy management system to monitor and control the overall energy usage on the site.
Brian Donaldson, Chief Executive Officer of The Maxol Group said: “It’s exciting to see our investment programme deliver another service station of the future. The opening of Maxol Belvoir sees the continued rollout of our sustainable forecourt design and demonstrates our ongoing commitment to being a more sustainable forecourt convenience retailer, offering only the highest quality of facilities and products.
“This is what modern roadside retail looks like. We’ve focused on the food and convenience offer so that customers can now pop in throughout the day for a grab-and-go breakfast or lunch from the Delish Deli, a barista-style coffee or they can do a basket shop for any meal occasion in our newly expanded SPAR store, which is packed with grocery essentials as well as drinks, snacks and treats.
“We’re providing quality advanced fuels, more car parking spaces and we have used technology such as self-service checkouts and Pay at Pump for customers’ ease and convenience.
“This is an exciting day for Maxol and for our customers and we’re looking forward to welcoming our customers through our doors to enjoy bags more at Maxol Belvoir.”
Mark McCammond, Retail Director at Henderson Group added; “Maxol has invested in transforming this popular site with facilities that cater directly to their target customers who are seeking convenience, value and quality, bringing their roadside retail strategy together with our SPAR NI brand. Not only will commuters benefit from their sustainable forecourt and food and coffee to go options, but residents in the area can choose from an extended range of fresh, locally sourced products for tonight’s tea.
“Our in-store community team will continue to build meaningful relationships with local community groups, churches, care homes and nursery schools, while implementing schemes to enhance the local area through those partnerships.”