Appleby Westward adds award-winning Weymouth store to its portfolio

The Spar store run by Barbara Clements in Preston, Weymouth, has now become one of 112 stores run directly by Appleby Westward.

Clements, who bought the shop with her late husband Mike in 1986, won the convenience retailer of the year award for the fourth time in a row in the Appleby Westward awards contest before the pandemic struck.

The store’s reputation in the community was further enhanced during lockdown when a home delivery service was rapidly established that kept footfall down while boosting sales.

At the same time, the store raised £800 for the Marie Curie charity through a variety of fundraising projects.

Clements said: “I have committed 35 years to this business and when my little grandson Milo was born in the summer, I decided I would like to have more family time with him, my son Jack and his wife Sarah.

“I’ll continue to keep an involvement at my other Spar shop at the Waterside Holiday Park nearby, but only on a part-time basis.”

Keith Roncaglia, head of store operations at Appleby Westward, said: “We are recruiting for a new manager and all existing staff will be retained.

“There is no plan to change the store at all, and our aim is to maintain the high standards and retail offer Barbara has established over the years.”