Among the top shops

Nov 22 2007 by Chris Knox, The Journal

THREE of the region’s convenience stores have been named among the best 100 in the UK.

The Village Store in Consett, Hillsnews Londis in Middleton St George in Darlington and Wilson’s Supershop in Sunderland all made the top 100 in the 2007 Independent Achievers Academy table, which was put together by trade information firm Newtrade Publishing.

The judges based their choices on 12 elements, including store cleanliness, customer service and choice.

Wilson’s Supershop, which is run by husband and wife team Richard and Denise Wilson, has been recognised in the table for the second year running.

The store, which was bought by the pair in 2001, hopes to increase its turnover from £600,000 to £750,000 in the next 18 months and plans to expand its operation by introducing more fair trade goods and organic produce.

Richard said: “It’s nice to be recognised after such hard work. A lot of people can still find it difficult to run a small shop, but you can still make a success of it if you concentrate on customer service and providing the right kind of information.”