Spar independent retailers can expect a comprehensive day of retail analysis, growth initiatives, and an enhanced tradeshow at James Hall & Co. Ltd’s annual retailer event.
Titled Spar Forward for 2026, James Hall & Co. Ltd’s retailer event is back at Harrogate Convention Centre on Thursday 30th April for a third year when the company’s blueprint for next 12 months and beyond will be presented to delegates.
During the morning sessions, there will be deep dives into convenience retail strategies and examples of best practice will be shared. Key speakers on the day are:
- Andrew Hall – chief executive officer and chairman, James Hall & Co. Ltd
- Dominic Hall – joint managing director, James Hall & Co. Ltd
- Tobias Wasmuht – managing director, Spar International
- Fiona Drummond – company stores director, James Hall & Co. Ltd
- Niels Dekkers – joint managing director, James Hall & Co. Ltd
Peter Dodding, sales director at James Hall & Co. Ltd and Spar Northern Guild chairman, will also host a panel discussion with Spar independent retailers and Northern Guild members.
In the afternoon, a scaled-up tradeshow of 66 suppliers will take place in the centre’s exhibition hall, with the biggest brands in convenience retail bringing their latest products to the table alongside retail favourites.
James Hall & Co. Ltd’s brands will be among the 66 exhibitors present with Cheeky Coffee, Ann Forshaw’s Alston Dairy, Fazilas, and Clayton Park Bakery lining up alongside the Spar UK brand stand.
With Spar Forward falling on GroceryAid Day, there will also be a stand highlighting the range of financial, emotional, and practical support that GroceryAid provides people working in the grocery sector.
The tradeshow will also offer networking opportunities, and area managers and store managers from James Hall & Co. Ltd’s G&E Murgatroyd company-stores division will join current and prospective Spar independent retailers at the event once again.
The day will conclude in the evening with an informal social event of entertainment, food, and drinks.
Dodding said: “Convenience retail is experiencing a challenging period. Here at James Hall & Co. Ltd, we have the ideas and initiatives through our first-class retail, wholesale, and food manufacturing portfolio to keep our Spar retailers growing both their sales and profitability and Spar Forward will deliver on this.
“The change I am most excited about is our revamped speaker sessions which will include a greater number of voices from our family of Spar independent retailers. I believe it is more important than ever before for experiences to be shared, and learnings be taken, from those who are at the sharp end of convenience retail daily.
“A massive thank you goes to our valued supplier network for their support in making Spar Forward come to life, and I am delighted to incrementally grow our tradeshow again through their commitment and a creative use of exhibition space.
“I also look forward to discovering which of our Spar independent retailers engages best with our suppliers and wins up to £10,000 of free stock through our deals of the day incentive.”
James Hall & Co. Ltd is a fifth-generation family business which serves a network of independent SPAR retailers and company-owned Spar stores across Northern England six days a week from its base at Bowland View in Preston.
For more information about James Hall & Co. Ltd, please visit www.jameshall.co.uk.
