Maxol has completed a significant re-development of Maxol Fortwilliam Service Station on the Antrim Road in Belfast following an investment of £1.9 million.
The six-month project has seen the large site reconfigured to create a forecourt and new convenience store to serve the local neighbourhood and commuters who use this main arterial route into Belfast City Centre. A total of 9 new jobs have been created for the local community following the re-development.
The development is part of a wider multi-million-pound 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 Fortwilliam is operated under license by Mark Nelson. The new store has nearly doubled in size to 195 square meters and offers the latest SPAR concept. The number of grocery and chilled bays has increased significantly, allowing customers to shop for everyday grocery essentials including a much larger selection of fresh local produce, a wider range of dairy items, and a doubling of frozen food provision. A selection of ready-made meals completes the convenience-led offer.
Maxol has also introduced the latest food-to-go concepts. 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 the increasing demand for a quick, quality coffee-on-the-go.
A new customer restroom has also been included within the store development.
New forecourt
The newly expanded and reconfigured forecourt has two pump islands with pay-at-pump facilities for customers to fuel up and car parking has more than doubled to twenty-four spaces including two accessible parking bays for customer convenience.
Sustainable development
Technology has been used throughout the development to implement Maxol’s sustainable forecourt design and to reduce the service station’s carbon footprint. Measures taken include the use of photovoltaic (solar) panels to cut electrical import requirements; the installation of LED lights throughout and adopting low energy CO2 refrigeration systems with doors fitted throughout the store. New signage highlights the sustainable features to customers.
Modern roadside retail
Brian Donaldson, Chief Executive Officer of The Maxol Group said: “It’s exciting to see the latest example of modern roadside retail from Maxol. We’re delighted this latest investment creates nine new jobs and is another convenience-led service station that delivers for both the local community and commuters. Within our new and sustainably developed forecourt, we’ve created a food and convenience offer that ensures customers can grab-and-go breakfast or lunch from the Delish Deli, enjoy a barista-style coffee to take-away or they can do a top-up food shop for any meal occasion in our newly expanded SPAR store, which is packed with grocery essentials as well as drinks, snacks and treats.
“With our focus on ease and convenience for our customers, we’ve nearly trebled the car parking spaces available so there’s capacity even at the busiest times of the day. Quality advanced fuels complete the offer and we’re looking forward to welcoming our customers through our doors to enjoy bags more at Maxol Fortwilliam. I wish Mark and his dedicated staff every success.”
Sarah Halliday, Channel Sales Manager at Henderson Group which owns the SPAR franchise in Northern Ireland added: “Maxol SPAR Fortwilliam is a fantastic example of an independent retailer working with locally owned brands to bring the best products and services to their community.
“We have worked with Mark and the team at Maxol to produce a first class, modern forecourt that delivers for both the business and shoppers. This is evident in the range of fresh and locally sourced products supplied by Henderson Wholesale, alongside the introduction of our Delish deli and expansion of Barista Bar coffee to-go options for those on the move. Our latest in-store technology has been installed to enable efficient running of the business both from the back rooms to the shop floor, delivering a futureproof store for both Mark, his team and the local community. We wish Mark all the best with the new store.”
Maxol Fortwilliam also offers customers an ATM, air, water and vacuum services and operates from 6am to midnight 7 days a week.