Northern Ireland Co-op has sold its 26,000 sq ft superstore in Ballymena, Northern Ireland, to SVM Properties, landlord of the Fairhill Centre where the store is located.
The move is part of the Co-operative Group's retail strategy to concentrate on its market town and Welcome formats. The superstore will close on August 2 with new tenant BHS taking over the site.

welsh upgrade
Swansea-based bakery chain Sweetmans is investing £1m over the next two years to re-brand and upgrade the company's factories, truck fleet and 26 shops.
The bakery, purchased by entrepreneur Chris Jones in March, is also celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.

boateng guest
The chief secretary to the Treasury Paul Boateng will be guest of honour at the British Retail Consortium's annual retail industry dinner on October 27 at the Grosvenor House Hotel, Park Lane, London.

bigger biscuit
The biscuit, cake, chocolate and confectionery market grew by 2.1% to £6.8bn between 2001 and 2002, according to trade association BCCCA. The data, compiled from BCCCA members, showed sales of chocolate confectionery were up 2.4% to £3.69bn, sales of biscuits and wafers down 1.2% to £1.55bn, while sales of sugar and non-sugar confectionery were up 4.9% to £1.56bn boosted by chewing gum, which saw sales rise 18% to £315m.

js compensation
Sainsbury has reached an undisclosed compensation settlement with the 61 store managers found to have been unfairly dismissed by a Watford employment tribunal (The Grocer, May 24, p6).

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