COVID-19
COVID HEROES JAMES HALL & CO
JAMES HALL RECOGNISES ITS COVID HEROES NORTH OF ENGLAND SPAR WHOLESALER JAMES HALL HAS RECOGNISED JUST A FEW OF ITS MANY COVID HEROES WHO HAVE PLAYED SUCH A VITAL
BHAVESH PAREKH, INDEPENDENT SPAR RETAILER
ROLE IN SERVING COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE
“Having been in retail for 35 years, I can honestly
REGION.
say this has been the most difficult and challenging
P
reston-based fifth generation family wholesaler James Hall & Co has publicly recognised just a few of its many Covid Heroes who have helped keep essential supply chains open over the last year. The north of England Spar wholesaler employs around 3,500 staff who have helped keep 600 independent and companyowned stores stocked and supported across the region. The mini-campaign recognises heroes from across the business and includes independent Spar retailers. Peter Dodding, Sales and Marketing Director said: “We have faced many challenges during the past year but the spirit and determination demonstrated by our staff has been absolutely tremendous. Without them, stock simply wouldn’t reach the shelves and we are extremely grateful for how well they have coped with the significant pressures of an unprecedented year. “The safety of our staff and Spar customers has been the ultimate priority throughout, and staff have adapted well to weekly lateral flow tests, temperature checks, Perspex screens and protection rotas to limit the number of staff onsite. I’d like to thank all staff, independent retailers and store customers for their continued support and patience.” Here are just a few of those whose outstanding efforts have been highlighted.
18 I SLRMAG.CO.UK / ISSUE 49 / WEDNESDAY 31ST MARCH 2021
year, in terms of keeping up with customer demand, implementing the required safety measures in-store and looking after my staff’s mental and physical wellbeing. “My team have risen to each challenge and gone above and beyond to serve their community with many families risking their lives to keep essential services open. I cannot praise their dedication enough and the majority of customers have been very positive and supportive, even when we had to bring in product limitations and restrict the number of customers in-store. “We have been very humbled during the past year and fortunate to have been able to continue trading. James Hall has been incredibly supportive, reacting quickly and allowing us to meet increased customer demand by putting on extra shifts, deliveries and more trucks on the road. I must say a huge thank you to their entire team.”
