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Anticipation and excitement had built for months ahead of the launch in the rural Northumberland village, and on a cold and crisp winter morning, residents welcomed the opening of the Spar and Shell forecourt.
Vice chairman of Thropton Parish Council, Ray Aplin and Steven Bridgett, who represents Rothbury ward on Northumberland County Council, joined deputy managing director Dominic Hall and company stores director Fiona Drummond to cut the ribbon to officially open the store.
Thropton residents explored the store’s range and features, including its Graham Eyes butchers, Clayton Park Deli counter, and Cheeky coffee machine as the first 50 customers through the door claimed their tea for free.
As well as the comprehensive range of fresh foods, Food To Go, major branded products, and beers, wines and spirits, local producers are a key theme to the store range too.
Coquet Chocolate, biscuits from the Northumbrian Bakehouse, eggs and honey from Bainbridge Farms, jams and relishes from the Northumbrian Pantry, and sweet treats from Canny Candy Gadgies are all stocked in-store.
There is also Mocha Mondo coffee, tea from the Northumberland Tea Company, Hepple Spirits, and beers from both the First & Last Brewery and Hadrian Border Brewery included within the Spar range.
The Shell forecourt has transformed the site of the former West End Garage. It will also support the rural community as locals now no longer have to take a 22-mile round trip to the next nearest service station.
The forecourt features four fuel pumps, water, air and vacuum machines, an ATM, customer toilets, and 17 customer parking spaces. Two EV charge points are also installed and will be operational soon.
There is a designated area for dog walkers to leave their dogs while they shop inside the store, and small touches have also been considered to the environment during construction, with solar panels in the roof of the Spar store and bird and bat boxes on site to encourage wildlife to flourish.
Community has been put at the heart of the Thropton opening, and in the build up to the launch day, Spar has agreed to a range of contributions to support good causes locally.
These include donations towards installing Thropton Village Hall’s defibrillator, Thropton First School’s swimming lesson transport costs, and the erection of a bench to mark the centenary of Thropton’s Women’s Institute.
Spar has also sponsored Thropton Show’s Fell Race, held in the summer, and has partnered with Visit Northumberland to cater for the tourism industry and support the local economy.
The store opening is being supported by a Winter Warmer event on Saturday. The free event will run from 10am until 12 noon and will feature a choir performance, stalls, a raffle, facepainting, a Father Christmas meet and greet, and the opportunity to have a photo with the Spar mascot.
Spar Thropton’s opening hours are 6am-9pm seven days a week. NHS staff can enjoy free coffee for the first six months, and MOD staff with valid ID based at the nearby Otterburn Ranges will receive 10% off their shop, also for the first six months.
