KeyStore More forecourt opens in Cumbria

The retailer, which started refurbishing the store before lockdown, says sales have increased threefold since reopening.

The Filshill team worked with Davidsons and the shopfitters to ensure that the design and layout of the new-look store provides the best possible shopping experience for customers. More space has been allocated to fresh and chilled, with these categories now at the back of the store, while alcohol has been moved and refreshed by the addition of a range of higher-quality wines.

Supporting local producers is also important to Davidsons. It has brought in lines from English Lakes Ice Cream, Mr Vikki’s sauces, pickles and chutneys, Cartmel sticky puddings, Cranstons butcher meat, cooked meats, pies and its best-selling traditional Cumberland sausage, and handmade cakes from Traybakes.

Other new arrivals include a Tchibo coffee machine and promotions, supported by leaflets.

Manager Joe Stamper, the fourth generation of his family to run the store, said: “We were supplied by Palmer & Harvey and after they collapsed, we reassessed how we should go forward. We found that JW Filshill met our requirements and being a long-established family business like we are we felt they understood us – it’s been a natural progression working with them since then.”

He added: “We’ve always been proud of our business but now we feel we want to really shout about it. Sales are up, we’re able to sell the products people want and introduce them to new ones, and we know that investing has been the right thing to do – we’re confident that some of the customers we’ve got to know for the first time during lockdown will stay with us.”