P&H's long awaited new symbol format Mace Express is set to attract "at least 100 independents" during 2001. That was the claim of P&H national symbol sales manager David Ellis as he unveiled the new fascia at the Pro-retail show in Telford this week. P&H is not deliberately setting out to poach retailers from rival symbol groups, added symbol sales manager Derek Boocock. But he expected to see a "migration of people from other symbol groups, which don't cater for stores occupying the middle ground between CTNs and fully blown convenience stores". The new format has been developed for stores with weekly sales of between £5,000 and £9,000 and a sales area of less than 1,000 sq ft, notably forecourt sites in urban areas with high impulse sales, and CTNs diversifying into convenience. For a flat fee of £25 a week, Mace Express retailers will benefit from better buying terms from P&H, free membership of the ACE third party drop shipment scheme, and regular promotional deals. Ranges will be precisely tailored to suit local demographics, based on a new blueprint category developed exclusively for Mace Express. P&H has already secured some independents, notably Hull retailer Patrick Sewell, who started trading under the new fascia at a forecourt site in Maybury last week, and plans to rebadge a further three forecourt sites in May. While P&H would focus on pushing the Mace Express fascia during the year, there are no plans to phase out Your Store, said Boocock, expecting the older format would still attract "20 or 30 independents" during the year. {{NEWS }}

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