Premier Victoria

Just a few years ago c-store owners were installing high-pitched devices to prevent teenagers congregating outside, but the new Premier store of the future concept wants younger people to come in.

The format, unveiled at a new Premier store owned by Joe and Kuldeep Punian in Victoria Dock, Hull, includes seating areas with free wi-fi and phone charging points. Premier brand director Martyn Parkinson said it was designed to “invite people, particularly teenagers, into the store”.

Parkinson said the concept focused on making sure the store did not miss out on customers through not catering to needs such as free-from or vegetarian and vegan.

“We weren’t sure about putting so many vegetarian lines in but the stores is doing about £150 to £200 a week on these now,” said Parkinson. “More importantly it’s 30 customers who would have gone elsewhere if we didn’t stock them.”

Value remained a key focus, he said, but there was room for more premium lines as well. Premier is recommending that tobacco is stocked under the counter with the space behind the counter devoted to higher-margin items.