Bargain Booze has recruited the 100th store to its Select Convenience symbol group.

The store in South Ockendon, Essex, is run by new franchisee Ponnuthirai Sritharan. He commented: "We are really excited to be part of the group, offering great choice and value to the residents of South Ockendon. We want the locals to realise that Bargain Booze has a lot more than just bargain booze customers genuinely can do a full top-up shop with us, at genuinely low prices."

The Select Convenience format offers a fuller convenience range than the off licence-based Bargain Booze model, which now comprises more than 630 stores. The 100th-store mark has been reached just three-and-a-half years after the first c-store outlet was opened.

Bargain Booze commercial director Mark Crabtree added: "Reaching 100 c-stores so swiftly is a fantastic milestone and demonstrates that our strategy of developing a full convenience offer driven by off licence is one that customers are enthusiastic about. This is re-enforced by the Select Convenience format demonstrating how it can compete effectively with the major multiples."