High Noon Stores boosts sales with tailored offers

Open for just five years, High Noon Stores is a relatively new kid on the block, but it is fast attracting a loyal following.

The rapidly growing Welsh retailer, operating under the Spar fascia and offers fuel through Murco, already boasts six forecourts and c-stores. It has set its sights on operating in at least 12 locations by the end of 2014, 20 by the end of 2015 and a minimum of 40 by the end of 2017.

It has chalked up impressive sales growth in the past year after store development improvements that included new refrigeration, upgraded IT, range enhancements and staff training.

This has led to a sales increase of 86% at its Whitemill site, 111% at Llanteg and 240% at Bryn Meurig. On average, footfall has risen by 20% across its estate.

Each store is tailored to the local community, and the judges were impressed by the diversity of the stores, with different trading and consumer profiles. Its Symonds Yat store in the Forest of Dean, for example, has a Costa Express and a large food-to-go offer to serve commuters on the A40, whereas its Laugharne store is tailored to tourists with an offer of selling toys, picnic accessories and food to go.

High Noon also slashed the price of its fuel to cost level last summer to sell what it claimed was the lowest-priced fuel in the UK. This boosted fuel sales by 60% and shop sales by 25% in the first week of the fuel price reduction campaign.

In the movie High Noon, a gang of killers returns to hunt down a lone marshall. No danger of that with the store’s customers. “I get all my essential bits and pieces here and the staff are pleasant and helpful,” says one.