March 13, 2023
A F Blakemore, one of the UK’s largest independently owned businesses, has the announced the winners of their first Women in Blakemore Awards, via a story book. The book launch amalgamates the stories of the winners and their nominees.
February 02, 2023
AF Blakemore, one of the UK’s largest privately owned family businesses, is pleased to announce that Carol Welch will join as Chief Executive in April, succeeding Jerry Marwood who is leaving to focus more time on his non-executive directorships and consultancy roles.
December 23, 2022
The Blakemore Foundation awards donations worth circa £65,000 to more than 1,300 activities and events in communities this Christmas
December 22, 2022
Blakemore Retail’s Alsager SPAR store relaunches with a delicious new food-to-go offer
December 08, 2022
A.F. Blakemore launches a SPAR Christmas campaign giving away up to £100,000 worth of prizes
November 08, 2022
The picturesque village of Clavering in Essex is home to a brand-new SPAR Market owned by enterprising independent retailer Muru Visana and family
October 27, 2022
Four hundred people attend SPAR UK’s national conference in Gran Canaria
October 25, 2022
Blakemore Retail’s Chipping Sodbury store celebrates the opening of a brand-new post office with a visit from a local MP
October 21, 2022
An independent family-owned SPAR store in Dersingham rebrands as a SPAR Market store
September 30, 2022
A.F. Blakemore’s driver training programmes enables 108 colleagues to gain a new LGV driving licence in the past 12 months
September 13, 2022
Five A.F. Blakemore colleagues complete an epic bike ride from London to Paris in aid of charity GroceryAid
July 12, 2022
SPAR UK awards £100,000 to good causes across the UK via its Community Cashback scheme
June 22, 2022
SPAR UK signes a new partnership deal with Deliveroo covering all 2,160 SPAR stores in England, Scotland and Wales
June 22, 2022
Blakemore Retail raises more than £40,000 for the NSPCC at its fourth charity ball
June 17, 2022
‘New World, New Opportunities’ was the key theme lighting up the room at Blakemore Trade Partners’ SPAR Retail Show this year
May 09, 2022
SPAR launches a variety of own label products to maximise this summer’s great opportunity
May 04, 2022
Blakemore Retail launches a brand-new SPAR convenience store in the town of Spalding, Lincolnshire
April 22, 2022
SPAR Aberavon relaunches with a new and improved hot food counter serving delicious food to go
April 21, 2022
Blakemore Retail is recognised at the NSPCC Corporate Impact Awards with the CEO’s Choice Award for Fundraising
April 05, 2022
A.F. Blakemore is set to launch an interactive augmented reality (AR) game app that offers customers the chance to win prizes at SPAR stores
March 24, 2022
A.F. Blakemore relaunches its road safety awareness campaign to more than 450 students at two West Midlands schools
March 02, 2022
A.F. Blakemore will be trialling an electric truck at its Willenhall distribution centre for a week in March
February 18, 2022
Blakemore Retail launches a brand-new concept store at SPAR Aberystwyth
February 16, 2022
A.F. Blakemore appoints David Cooke to the newly created role of Group Commercial Director
January 13, 2022
Ten new tractor units have been delivered into A.F. Blakemore’s food distribution fleet, each meeting Transport for London’s three-star Direct Vision Standard (DVS) rating
January 12, 2022
SPAR unveils new UK-wide brand positioning that celebrates the unique characteristics of SPAR convenience stores
January 06, 2022
SPAR makes its full range of own-label wines suitable for vegans
December 17, 2021
Last week’s Festive Friday is estimated to have raised more than £20,000 for charity
November 26, 2021
Kelly Burrows, Ian Cawley and Alan Mayor are crowned winners at this year’s FWD Awards
November 25, 2021
A.F. Blakemore Group Marketing Director Sarah Ellis and Responsible Business Director Caoire Blakemore attend Disability Sport Wales’s Paralympic Celebratory Dinner
November 19, 2021
A.F. Blakemore moves its operations to 100% renewable electricity
November 15, 2021
Blakemore Retail’s charity partnership with the NSPCC wins bronze at the Corporate Engagement Awards 2021
November 05, 2021
Blakemore Retail colleagues dress up and decorate their stores in purple for disability awareness event Purple Tuesday
October 15, 2021
Blakemore Retail opens a new SPAR store in the village of Broughton Astley, Leicestershire
September 15, 2021
SPAR Parkfoot is named Convenience Retailer of the Year at The Convenience Awards 2021
September 01, 2021
The Association of Convenience Stores announces the appointment of SPAR Managing Director Louise Hoste as its new chair from November
July 23, 2021
A.F. Blakemore and its stores make the shortlist for the Grocer Gold, Convenience and Retail Industry awards
July 23, 2021
Ten cyclists from A.F. Blakemore and independent SPAR stores take on an epic bike ride across Wales in aid of charity GroceryAid
July 23, 2021
SPAR stores across Wales will be taking part in a Welsh Food Fortnight campaign next month
July 23, 2021
Blakemore Retail reaches a £4 million fundraising milestone for the NSPCC through its 16-year partnership with the charity
July 09, 2021
Chilled Operations Manager Chloe Ball becomes the first Blakemore colleague to win an award at the Everywoman in Transport and Logistics Awards
July 09, 2021
Ten cyclists from A.F. Blakemore and independent SPAR stores are set to take on an epic bike ride across Wales in aid of charity GroceryAid
July 09, 2021
Blakemore Retail teams up with the NSPCC to help parents decide if their children are ready to stay home or go out alone
June 24, 2021
Blakemore Retail relaunches its store in Bala under the SPAR Market fascia following a complete refurbishment
May 27, 2021
The SPAR symbol group is determined to maintain its lead in the convenience market by investing £125 million in the business over the next 12 months
March 05, 2021
Colleagues across A.F. Blakemore help the company raise awareness of GroceryAid as it marks GroceryAid Awareness Day
February 24, 2021
Blakemore Retail signs up all 275 of its SPAR convenience stores to the Too Good To Go app
February 17, 2021
Charitable donations awarded to Covid-related causes via the Blakemore Foundation have now reached a value of £176,000
January 27, 2021
SPAR Parkfoot and Eat 17 SPAR Walthamstow are crowned winners at the 2020 Retail Industry Awards
December 31, 2020
SPAR Store Manager Linda Carrington receives a British Empire Medal in The Queen’s New Year Honours
October 01, 2020
A.F. Blakemore launches a brand-new commission operator SPAR store model
September 30, 2020
A.F. Blakemore is celebrating after a fantastic evening at the Convenience Awards
August 24, 2020
Blakemore Retail launches a brand-new flagship SPAR store in Bodelwyddan, North Wales
August 13, 2020
A.F. Blakemore announces the purchase of the online wholesaler and retailer Vegan Store
July 23, 2020
Blakemore Retail is trialling three card-only self-service checkouts at its Bannerbrook store
June 25, 2020
Blakemore Retail invests in new delivery vans to keep up with demand for Snappy Shopper home deliveries
April 30, 2020
Blakemore Retail launches an online ordering website to make it easier for customers to browse products from SPAR stores offering home deliveries
April 21, 2020
Colleagues from across A.F. Blakemore donate more than £25,000 to local communities during the coronavirus crisis
April 15, 2020
A.F. Blakemore partners with the Royal Voluntary Service to help vulnerable people and NHS workers during the coronavirus crisis
April 08, 2020
SPAR stores in England are to be the first convenience retailer to partner with Royal Voluntary Service on its NHS Volunteer Responders programme
March 04, 2020
Blakemore Retail launches its first standalone Greggs and Subway store as part of its strategy to expand retail spaces across the business
February 03, 2020
A.F. Blakemore becomes the national community partner of Disability Sport Wales
January 24, 2020
A.F. Blakemore is the latest convenience store retailer to trial the food waste fighting app Too Good to Go
A.F. Blakemore launches ‘Short Supportive Stories’ book to recognise their ‘Women In Blakemore’
AF Blakemore appoints Carol Welch as new CEO
Donations Worth £65,000 Awarded to Good Causes at Christmas
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