New supersized community store creating 27 jobs is another 'major project' for Henderson Retail NI

The much anticipated Spar Belt Road has opened in South Londonderry, revealing a state-of-the-art shopping experience and a four-pump forecourt for the local neighbourhood.

The store has also created 27 jobs for the area, offering various roles from deli staff to customer advisors and management, with two staff also coming from the nearby Eurospar Rossdowney supermarket, which opened in 2021.

Not only will Spar Belt Road offer local residents a host of locally sourced produce but the store’s staff has already shown their commitment to the local area with a series of community initiatives before the store even opened.

Spar Belt Road is a major project for Henderson Retail which owns the store, and continues the retailer’s commitment to building new Northern Ireland stores.

Mark McCammond, retail director at Henderson Group, added: “Spar Belt Road delivers the full shopping experience, with our Delish deli serving hot food-to-go throughout the day alongside a Barista Bar coffee machine, which is perfect for our grab and go shoppers who have stopped for fuel.

“Those seeking a top up shop or something for tonight’s tea will find a host of locally sourced products including McDaid’s Bakery, Doherty’s Home Bakery and Turnover Bakery, alongside hundreds of groceries sourced from farmers and suppliers across the island of Ireland, including Spar NI’s own brands, Spar enjoy local and The Kitchen.

“Providing both food for now and food for later in-store also gives us the opportunity to provide shoppers with a choice of payment options, from self-check-outs to traditional tills at both the Delish deli and on the shop floor. We are extremely proud of Spar Belt Road and look forward to meeting even more of our neighbours.”

Mura Villa has been appointed as the store’s designated Community Rep, and will oversee the team’s community engagement while establishing and growing their partnerships with local initiatives.

Lisa Sherry, Store Manager, said: “I’m extremely proud of the community outreach our team has been establishing before we’ve opened. Our team is completely local to the area and we know what matters to our neighbours. We don’t just want to be a convenience store, we want to be an established community hub and ensure we are providing an all-round service for our local community.”

Spar Belt Road supports Spar’s charity partner, Marie Curie in Northern Ireland, however the store has already been supporting local groups including the Inner City Assistance Team and the North West Cancer Centre at Altnagelvin, with donations for staff and volunteers.

Mura added: “The Inner City Assistance Team is a hugely valued volunteer-led organisation and we will continue to support their work across the City. We have also made a donation to Foyle Search and Rescue which is another volunteer-led charity providing a vital service locally. In addition to this, we are proud to be supporting our local food bank, Foyle Foodbank, with a donation point in-store, while members of our team will take part in a sponsored walk of the two bridges later in the year for Foyle Hospice.”