Local store in Kildare beats the competition to scoop prestigious national award

A Spar Express store in Kildare took home a prestigious award at the annual Ireland's Forecourt & Convenience Awards in Dublin this week.

Fitzpatrick's Spar Express in Monasterevin took home the award for Forecourt/Convenience Store of the Year with C-Store over 1,751 sq ft category.

Accepting the award, store manager Patrick O’Hanlon said: “I can’t believe it. I’m absolutely delighted. We’ve all worked very hard throughout the year to achieve this accolade.”

Like all finalists, the Co Kildare site underwent rigorous independent judging, including mystery shopping visits, to overcome competition throughout the island of Ireland.

Category sponsor for the award was Lindt. It’s representative on the night was country manager Walter Angst who said: “Confectionery is becoming increasingly important and the forecourt sector is the fastest growing market in this category. It’s a really big channel, and Ireland has some of the best convenience retailers in Europe.”

Winning the overall award on the night – Forecourt of the Year – was Maxol’s M3 Mulhuddart Site in Co Dublin, which opened just five months ago.

The Mulhuddart site had been entered automatically into the running for Forecourt of the Year after winning the competitive Newcomer of the Year award earlier in the night.