A CONVENIENCE store in Ashburton has been nominated for a national retail award.

Rubbing shoulder to shoulder with fellow Spar stores in Lancashire and Belfast, several Eurospar shops from across the County Down and a G&E in Murgatroyd, the Spar Ashburton store is hoping to come out on top and claim the Retail Industry Award for ‘Store Team of the Year’.

This years Retail Industry Awards, which are to be hosted at The Brewery in London, will take place on September 20.

The Mid-Devon Advertiser caught up with Julie Kershaw, manager at the Ashburton shop, to get the low-down on what makes a successful store.

‘The awards are a bit like the Oscars for the retail industry – they are one of the most prestigious awards of the year.

‘To even be nominated is absolutely wow!

‘We never do an I in this store, we always say we because if I do something that is charity-based I can’t do that unless I have somebody to cover my shift or somebody help me with it.

‘Most of my staff, of which there are 10, are either Ashburtonians or live in Ashburton and so they are always incredibly helpful when it comes to anything to do with the charity and community-based bits we do.

‘Everyone will chip in somewhere along the line.

‘I think we were nominated because of the amount of things we do and also the fact that we always put oursleves out there to help the town, to help the community in anyway we can.

‘I don’t think a lot of other stores have the team spirit to do that whereas I think we do.

‘We didn’t have to run around in rabbit outfits all over Easter weekend for example, giving out hotcross buns but we did.

The question of everybody’s lips, therefore, must surely be this: In a retail setting,what makes a great team?

‘We behave like a family here.

‘We are very family orientated here, we run this place a bit like a family.

‘We are a national company, we are corporately owned but since I have ever knwon this store it has always been ran as a independant in the senese that we do things in a way that fits our community and our staff.

‘Our community comes first in everything we do, we make a good team because we believe the customer to be a part of the team.

‘Without our customers, there would be no shop, they are our strength.’

Cllr John Nutley said: ‘I am extremely pleased to hear that Julie the Spar manager and her team at the shop in Ashburton is one of six retail shops in the country to be nominated for the best retail shops award.

‘The awards ceremony will be held at a London venue in September and I wish them the very best of luck.

‘It will be a very deserved award for all Julie and her team have done, especially over the past three years during the Covid-19 pandemic.

‘They worked throughout the pandemic and during all the lockdowns were delivering food and household items to all those that were unable to go out and shop for themselves.

‘Thanks again to Julie in putting forward Woodlanders to be sponsored in getting the roof repaired, the company gave £10,000 towards the cost. Again through Julie, the Primary School was sponsored by the Spar in giving out the awards for their sports day.

‘The shop also gave 98% help towards the children’s food, the Jubilee and Easter events, and also £500 towards the Portreeves fund for a defibrillator which was riding an exercise bike outside the Spar shop.

‘There are many other things that Julie and her team do for Ashburton and they are a credit to the town.

‘I can’t think of anyone better to be nominated for the top award and we wish them the best of luck.’