Forecourt operator MRH has acquired independent Spar group Chartman Retail, which owns 11 sites in the South West.

MRH has bought the sites, which are located across Devon, Cornwall, Somerset and Dorset, as part of its strategic drive to increase its offering in the South West. 

Chartman operates 10 service stations, all equipped with a Spar convenience store, and a standalone c-store in Magdalen Road, Exeter. Its Winning Post forecourt store near Exeter was a finalist in the 2015 Convenience Retail Awards.

Chartman Retail director Clive Sheppard (pictured) said: “After 30 years working to establish Chartman Retail within the South West, we are delighted to hand over to MRH, who we know will continue to support our customers.

“This acquisition also provides our employees with fantastic opportunities to grow their careers.”

MRH chief executive Karen Dickens said: “I’m delighted to add Chartman Retail to the MRH Group. Not only does it meet our strategic objective of extending our brand to more customers across the West Country, but it also has a strong personal emotional link having known many of these sites as I was growing up and subsequently travelling home to Cornwall. Chartman Retail has developed some fantastic, well-run sites and we believe they have even more potential – especially food service.

“I look forward to continuing to grow MRH in the South West, welcoming the Chartman Retail team into MRH and being an early ‘mystery motorist’ to my local site in Bude.”

MRH operates over 450 forecourt sites in the UK, including 170 under the Hursts brand. The group recently announced a new partnership with Appleby Westward to develop new Spar-branded sites in the South West of England.