Donard View Service Station 'has been within my family for over 50 years and we are proud to be recognised with a Store of the Quarter award'

Donard View Service Station, Ballynahinch, has been recognised as the latest recipient of the ‘Store of the Quarter’ award by UK parcel carrier Yodel, beating thousands of stores nationwide.

The award celebrates stores in Yodel’s network that deliver outstanding customer support and service to the local community. Yodel’s network comprises of over 7,000 newsagents, convenience stores, petrol stations, and supermarkets, serving UK customers with its Store-to-Store and Store-to-Door parcel delivery options.

Donard View Service Station has been an essential hub in the local community of Ballynahinch since it opened in 1963, with it handling over 1,500 parcels a quarter for Yodel. It achieved an impressive customer rating of 5.00 in Yodel’s in-house Have Your Say customer feedback survey from June to September this year, securing its winning position.

With Yodel recently becoming Vinted’s sole carrier in Northern Ireland, Donard View Service Station has seen its parcel volumes double in the past 12 months, all while maintaining an average five-star rating.

With second-hand marketplaces surging in popularity, Yodel’s customer-to-customer parcel volumes have surged by 77% in the region year-on-year, with nine of the top 10 busiest stores in Yodel’s ranking all based in Northern Ireland, indicative of positive customer experiences in the region.

Elizabeth Bell, store owner of Donard View Service Station, said: “Joining the Deliver to Yodel Store network has been great for our business, allowing us to provide a convenient and incredibly popular service to our local community.

"The store has been within my family for over 50 years and we are proud to be recognised with a Store of the Quarter award and are very thankful all our loyal customers who have positively reviewed their experience with us and made this possible.”

Sam Holden, chief commercial officer at Yodel, explained: “Donard View Service Station sets a great example for us all, proving their importance to the local community and their commitment to ensuring thousands of people can receive their parcels.

"At Yodel, we’re proud to honour and celebrate the success of our partners who have played their part in providing secure and convenient parcel collections services for our millions of customers across the UK. We’re thrilled to be awarding Donard View Service Station with the Store of the Quarter award for their outstanding work and are excited to follow their continued success.”

Local Yodel driver, John Spence, who drops and collects parcels from the store and the wider area, delivers and collects 1,200 parcels per day in the Ballynahinch region for Yodel and has been with the carrier for 34 years.

He was also commended by Yodel as part of the accompanying ‘Driver of the Quarter’ award. The award is granted to drivers in conjunction with recognised stores to reward local drivers who provide high-quality service and showcase their commitment to deliveries and customers in the area.