Whitehead business wins retail training accolade

The Cable Spar in the village is one of four stores operated by Solo Retailing Group, which last month was handed the Training Initiative of the Year at the Retail Industry Awards.

Now in their nineteenth year, the awards recognise excellence across a raft of different categories from the smallest independent retailers to the largest supermarket groups.

This year’s ceremony was held in the Grosvenor House Hotel in London on September 25.

Jonathan Finch, owner of Solo Retailing, said: “I am so proud and the whole Solo team are really chuffed that their hard work has been recognised.

“It’s a massive award, a great category to win and its shows what a team can really do when they all work together.”

Solo Retailing, which also won the 2013 Forecourt of the Year Neighbourhood Retailer Award, was established by Cookstown man Jonathan in 2006.

The group, which operates convenience stores and petrol forecourts throughout Northern Ireland, currently employs eighty staff and have three additional branches in Cookstown and Carryduff.

Jonathan aims to grow the business further, with ambitious plans to expand throughout the province.

The company have also been shortlisted for the Northern Ireland Neighbourhood retail awards which are due to be held later this month.