Retailers from across the country returned to their stores with brimming brains and bulging goodie bags after visiting the successful National Convenience Show (NCS) at the Birmingham NEC this week.

The new three-day event, which built on the success of the Convenience Retail Show (CRS), thrilled and inspired with its wide range of new products and networking opportunities - culminating in the Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) Summit 2011.

Busy store owners were also brought up to speed with all the latest news and views on forthcoming legislation, including the tobacco display ban, by the dazzling array of industry experts and famous faces speaking at the popular ‘Live At The Counter’ sessions.


Highlights from the National Convenience show 2011 

Independent retailer Ian Mitchell of The Village Store in Drongan, East Ayrshire, said the opportunity to talk directly to the people behind the UK’s biggest convenience brands and symbol groups had also left him feeling invigorated.

“It’s all about seeing people face-to-face and getting a chance to speak to them to find out more about the brand," he said. "You can’t get that opportunity anywhere else, and it has allowed me to make better decisions about what will happen in my store going forward.”

Visitors to the Convenience Store stand were also treated to the results of the 2011 Shop Project - the impressive results of which were only marginally stumped by the thrill of meeting the hardworking C-Store team members themselves!