Spar is trialling a fresh new era in store design, with the launch of what it describes as an innovative and modern flagship store that paves the way in convenience excellence.

Spar Penwortham in Lancashire, owned by family business Lawrence Hunt & Co, heralds the new face of Spar and marks a huge step for the symbol group, according to Debbie Robinson, Spar UK managing director.

The store has a brand new fascia design, featuring a white background with Spar in 3D and the store’s location and owners details on the front.

It also has a new internal colour scheme, for a fresh look and feel, as well as new ambient modules for fruit, vegetables and bread to create an authentic market feel.

In addition to the host of products and ranges on offer, the store will also feature new cutting-edge technologies and concepts, such as free WiFi and mobile phone charging units.

Robinson said: “We are really excited about Penwortham, which truly is a store for the future and marks a hugely innovative move for Spar.

“The dynamic store design represents the next generation in convenience retail, with a fresh, clean and modern look that appeals to all shoppers. This new store model is the best design used in the convenience industry today, encompassing significant changes to the store’s layout and ranges.

“Convenience retail is changing rapidly and at Spar, we want to be at the front of the pack in leading this change and to help our retailers be even better and more successful than they already are.

“The store was designed based on a great deal of consumer research, and we have really listened to customers to make Penwortham a destination local store,” she said. “The store is laying the foundation for a design model that can be replicated around the country.

"This is a great step for us and is a taste of what more is to come in the future,” she said.

The new SPAR model was designed by brand development agency Appetite.