Ideas and initiatives are shared at James Hall & Co’s annual Retailer Event

By James Hall & Co. Ltd

31 Oct 2022

retailer-event-deputy-managing-director-dominic-hall-spar-james-hall-co-ltd.jpg

Ideas and initiatives were shared as SPAR independents from across the North of England gathered for James Hall & Co. Ltd’s annual Retailer Event. 

Held at the Crow Wood Hotel and Spa in Burnley, the theme of 2022’s event was ‘A Fresh Start’ and the day was split into two halves with the morning session featuring business updates from company directors.

Updates included exciting new fresh food and Food To Go initiatives, promotional programme developments, store design updates, and the latest IT progress and improvements.

Retailers present also had the opportunity to meet suppliers, take advantage of special ‘on the day’ deals, and network with fellow independents.

The afternoon session featured SPAR store visits to see best practice in James Hall & Co. Ltd’s company-owned G&E Murgatroyd estate at Accrington, Bacup, and Padiham Road in Burnley.

Oliver Blake, operations manager at SPAR Long Riston, and a member of the SPAR Northern Guild Committee, was pulled out of the hat as the winner of the event competition for £1,000 of free stock.

Oliver said: “I look forward to the James Hall Retailer Event and it was a good occasion to meet the team and network with SPAR colleagues. The business updates were extremely valuable and enable us to plan for the coming year and beyond, and to win the competition was the cherry on the cake.

“We’ve been with SPAR for three years and decided to switch as we needed a strong brand with great fresh and Food To Go availability to support our plans to move forward with the family business.

“We want to be regarded as the place locally for people to come and buy their goods and we’ve expanded the SPAR twice in those three years, with the initial investment doubling the size of the store. The second added a new office and storeroom, which meant we could further enlarge the floor space to increase our fresh range.

“This has really driven our sales which are three-and-a-half times what they were before our expansions, and James Hall really work with us to support our development plans.”

Leigh Parkinson, who owns the SPAR at Greaves Road in Lancaster, is the most recent addition to the Northern Guild Committee. She wanted to join the Guild to learn from other retailers and improve her business.

Leigh said: “I really enjoyed the Retailer Event. It’s important to get everyone together as a team so that we are all on the same page for upcoming promotions and campaigns.

“My family have been with James Hall for over 20 years. It’s a great relationship and I always value their advice. The team of people that support me is amazing and everyone gives 100%.

“I think the team at James Hall did a great job of highlighting to everyone how we can succeed despite the current economic climate. The new Food To Go initiatives and Cheeky Coffee brand evolution are all exciting concepts to set us apart from our competitors.

“The Guild opportunity has come about as I wanted to meet other retailers and gain more insight into what initiatives have been successful for them. I also wanted to have some small input feeding back how various seasonal promotions have worked in my store.”

Peter Dodding, sales director at James Hall & Co. Ltd and chairman of the Northern Guild Committee, said: “Our annual Retailer Event is one of the most important in our company’s calendar, and it was superb to get everyone in one room to deliver our range of business updates to support the ambitions of our independent SPAR retailers.

“What’s more, with the store visits in the afternoon to our G&E Murgatroyd company-owned estate, our independent retailers were able to see some of the updates in action first hand, and the feedback we have received regarding the day has been brilliant.”

James Hall & Co. Ltd is SPAR UK’s primary wholesaler and distributor for the North of England. The company serves a network of 600 independent SPAR retailers and company owned SPAR stores six days a week from its base in Preston, Lancashire.

You can find out more about James Hall & Co. Ltd at www.jameshall.co.uk.

Latest news

1

Beever and Struthers advise on £1.5bn funding for 2,000 new social homes a year John Jones

Beever and Struthers advise on £1.5bn funding for 2,000 new social homes a year

03 Jul 2025

2

Airframe Designs aligns with US programme for additive manufacturing growth Additive manufacturing technology unit At Airframe Designs

Airframe Designs aligns with US programme for additive manufacturing growth

03 Jul 2025

3

Panache Cruises on course for further growth with support from Rosebud James Cole

Panache Cruises on course for further growth with support from Rosebud

03 Jul 2025

4

Lancashire emerges as key player in UK's Defence and Tech Sector Mo Isap Chair Of The Lancashire Business Board Nick Miles National Cyber Force Deputy Director For Samlesbury Annette Weekes Representative Of The NWRDSC

Lancashire emerges as key player in UK's Defence and Tech Sector

03 Jul 2025

5

Report shows impact of BAE Systems in Lancashire BAE Systems Radar

Report shows impact of BAE Systems in Lancashire

02 Jul 2025

Background image for hub sign up block

LBV Hub

Leverage Lancashire Business View platforms

Post your news
Post your events
Post your offers
Build your network
Improve your SEO
Gain coverage in the magazine
Sign-up
Events
LBV123 July/August Launch Event
Lancashire Business View magazine launch
Networking
16 Jul 2025

LBV123 July/August Launch Event

Burnley

08:30 - 10:30

Lancashire Built Environment Conference 2025
BEC 315 X 315 Px
Networking
25 Sep 2025

Lancashire Built Environment Conference 2025

Blackpool Football Club, Blackpool, FY1 6HX

08:30 - 13:00

CMI Level 5 Management and Leadership Course
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
21 Feb 2025 - 21 Feb 2026

CMI Level 5 Management and Leadership Course

Preston Campus, Preston , PR1 2HE

09:00 - 17:00

CMI Level 5 Project Management Course
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
21 Feb 2025 - 21 Feb 2026

CMI Level 5 Project Management Course

Preston Campus, Preston, PR1 2HE

08:00 - 17:00

The Marketing Metrics that Matter – July 4
LBV Hub Seminars
04 Jul 2025 - 04 Jul 2025

The Marketing Metrics that Matter – July 4

Door4 Office, Burnley Wharf, Burnley, BB11 1JG

08:30 - 11:00

Tri-Site Survey Equipment Showcase
unnamed (2).jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
09 Jul 2025 - 09 Jul 2025

Tri-Site Survey Equipment Showcase

Crow Wood Hotel, Burnley, BB12 0RT

09:30 - 16:00

Blackburn Cathedral hosts Champagne and Diamonds Event with Ainsworth Jewellers
Champagne-Jewellery 10 07 25_page-0001.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Awards
10 Jul 2025 - 10 Jul 2025

Blackburn Cathedral hosts Champagne and Diamonds Event with Ainsworth Jewellers

Blackburn Cathedral, Blackburn, BB1 5AA

18:00 - 20:30

Choose Chorley for Business - Talent Reimagined Business Breakfast
talentreimaginedbb.png.png
LBV Hub Seminars
10 Jul 2025 - 10 Jul 2025

Choose Chorley for Business - Talent Reimagined Business Breakfast

Strawberry Fields Digital Hub, Chorley, PR71PS

08:00 - 10:30

Shaping Preston's future by remembering its past
1750160034867.png.png
LBV Hub Networking
16 Jul 2025 - 16 Jul 2025

Shaping Preston's future by remembering its past

Society1, Coworking Space, Preston, PR1 3LT

18:00 - 20:30

Chamber Summer BBQ
LBV Hub Social
17 Jul 2025 - 17 Jul 2025

Chamber Summer BBQ

The Borough, Dalton Square, Lancaster, LA1 1PP

17:30 - 20:00

Preston Tech Connection: Web3 is Dead. Or is It?
July Longer Banner.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Networking
29 Jul 2025 - 29 Jul 2025

Preston Tech Connection: Web3 is Dead. Or is It?

Society1, Coworking Space, Preston, PR1 3LT

18:00 - 19:30

Preston Freelancer Meet-Up: July
Longer July Banner.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Networking
31 Jul 2025 - 31 Jul 2025

Preston Freelancer Meet-Up: July

Society1, Coworking Space, Preston, PR1 3LT

10:00 - 11:30

Advertise with us

Reaching 50,000 members, our print, digital and event platforms offer a fantastic way to raise your business profile and help you grow.

Find out more LBV122 Online Graphic
Subscribe now

Weekly news bulletin