Morrisons Doxford Park, Sunderland: Grocer 33 store of the week

Your store is 20 years old this year. Did you mark the occasion? Yes, we threw a big party for all the staff. I think something like 170 out of the 238 people who work here came, which shows what a good community spirit we have.

How important is the relationship between the community and staff? It’s very important and we’re very lucky because it means we get a long-term relationship with customers. We have people who specifically come in to be served by a particular person on a checkout.

Has the store been modernised recently? Yes, we had a refurbishment in October and changed to a fresh look format, with a compete refit, new refrigeration and new concessions.

What is your favourite change? We’re one of the few stores in the north east that has a party shop. It’s got everything from children’s party gear to fancy dress outfits for adults. It’s become a real destination for people and of course that benefits the store because they do other shopping here, too.

What else has changed? We have had a major café refurbishment with a fresh look, which is proving very popular. Customers and staff love it.

What’s been your summer big seller so far? We’ve had a big improvement in our craft beer range. Products like BrewDog, Elvis Juice and Jack Hammer IPA are performing very well. I think it’s a trend that has got real longevity. We have a beer promotion at the front of store, which is going very well. But so is other summer stuff like outdoor furniture and barbecues. We’ve recently brought a whole range of products such as sun tan lotion into a new Holiday Shop feature in our seasonal aisle, which has made it simpler for customers to find when they are stocking up for their holidays. They aren’t just stocking up with beer.