Wholesaler and distributor AF Blakemore has welcomed a new retailer into the Spar estate through its Blakemore Trade Partners Plus (BTP+) offering, with the opening of Spar Tutbury in Staffordshire.
This site is unusual, as it takes a standout conversion and brings one of the village’s most recognisable buildings back into community use.
The store is owned by Kalpesh Odedra, an experienced retailer within a family-run business. Kalpesh purchased the site freehold and has undertaken a sensitive redevelopment of the former Lloyds Bank, which closed in March 2022, and the Swinkles Family Brewers office that followed.
The building has been empty since 2024, and its Art Deco frontage, original front doors, safe door and vault have all been retained to create a store “with genuine architectural character and a unique customer experience,” AF Blakemore said.
Spar Tutbury has been designed to serve basket-shopping missions, with a range tailored to local needs and a focus on fresh food, value and everyday essentials. The store offers a premium wine and spirits range, dedicated free from, gluten free and vegan sections, and strong value through the County Bridge ‘3 for £9’ fresh meat offer and Fresh Savers fruit and vegetables range.
A fresh Indian street food counter - including sweets - and a serve-over ice cream bar provide a distinctive food-to-go experience not previously available in the village. The store will also offer a 12-week price promise on key essentials through Price Lock until autumn.
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Kalpesh said: “This building has always meant something to local people, and we wanted to bring it back into everyday use in a way that genuinely supports the community. Spar’s focus on fresh food, everyday value and reliable service means we can offer Tutbury a store that feels welcoming, familiar and built around what shoppers need.
“Our aim is to create a place the village can be proud of and to keep this beautiful building alive for many years to come.
“We chose BTP+ because it gives independent retailers the support, structure and confidence to deliver a stronger store for their community. The programme makes it easy to focus on fresh food, value and the right ranges, while still keeping the individuality of the site.
“For a building as unique as this one in Tutbury, BTP+ has helped us bring the space back to life in a way that feels modern, reliable and genuinely customer-focused.”
Taranjit Dhillon, at AF Blakemore, added: “This is an exceptional building and Kalpesh has done a remarkable job in bringing it back to life. It’s a perfect example of how heritage sites can be reimagined for modern convenience retailing, and we’re delighted to support this development.”
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