tannaghmore services forecourt award winner

Site manager Patrick Bennett recieved the award from Forecourt Trader editor Merril Boulton (right) and ceremony host Kimberley Walsh

Maxol’s A26 Tannaghmore Services, in County Antrim, has won the prestigious Forecourt Trader of the Year award.

The Northern Irish site, one of the Maxol group’s 230 service stations, took the title at a ceremony at the Hilton, in London’s Park Lane, last week.

Maxol invested £3.75m in the cutting-edge site, which has only been open since May 2017.

It features an 8,000 sq ft Spar store, Northern Ireland’s first Freshly Chopped fast food franchise and an Abrakebabra quick-service restaurant, with dishes all cooked fresh and made to order. A purpose-built Ground Espresso Bar has just opened.

The site also has a dedicated truck facility, seating for 100 people, free wi-fi, a MaxWash car wash and parking for 45 vehicles.

The site employs the latest technology to harness solar energy and harvest rainwater to enhance its environmental credentials.

Forecourt Trader editor Merril Boulton, presented the award to site manager Patrick Bennett at the ceremony hosted by former Girls Aloud member and Strictly Come Dancing runner-up Kimberley Walsh.

“Maxol endeavours to provide customers with extensive, wide-ranging choice when it comes to grocery and food offerings to meet their ever-demanding lifestyles, and A26 Tannaghmore embodies this ambition effortlessly with an exciting range of cutting-edge food options in a modern and welcoming environment,” said Boulton.

Other category winners included Best Customer Service, and Best Site Manager - Spar Ravenhill Road, Belfast; Best Design and Development - Applegreen Spaldwick, Cambridgeshire; and Best Food-to-Go Outlet - Mulkerns Eurospar, Newry, County Down.