Paul Gardner’s Budgens store in Islington, north London, was a finalist in the CRA large store category in 2015. So the store’s credentials were in little doubt when he embarked on a major refit last summer, but like all leading retailers, Paul realised innovation was the key to staying ahead of the growing competition. So with current trends in mind, he set about refitting the store, utilising an extra 500sq ft of space by moving the bakery prep area and walk-in chiller upstairs. In came a plethora of food to go concessions, self-serve tills, a sharper focus on free from and local products, and a larger alcohol range. The results speak for themselves: sales are up 10%, equating to an impressive £25 per sq ft weekly turnover.