STAFF at a convenience store are celebrating after bagging a prestigious award.

SPAR in West Bay was named the Best SPAR Brand Retailer in the south west at the annual Appleby Westward Retail Awards.

Manager Manju Vij and her team received the accolade at a plush awards event held at the University of Southampton earlier this month.

Appleby Westward is the regional distribution company for nearly 300 SPAR stores throughout the south west.

Manju nominated the shop after receiving positive feedback from customers.

She said: "With the awards the shops nominate themselves, and we have had some great reviews from customers about the products we sell, and especially the Spar brand items.

"There are awards for each region and we put ourselves forward for the south west."

"After you have nominated the store you are considered for the shortlist, and if you are successful in getting onto that some of the senior Appleby Westward staff from your region will come down to visit the shop."

After making it onto a four-outlet shortlist, the West Bay Road store received an inspection.

Manju added: "They don't tell you when they are going to visit, so they can turn up at any time.

"They turn up unannounced so they can get the best impression of what the shopping experience at the store is like for the average customer."

The team now have a shiny plaque they can keep on display in the shop.

Manju said: "We're very proud, there was a lot of competition and we can celebrate with our customers now."

A spokesman for Appleby Westward said: "What made this store stand out was not only the extensive range of SPAR brand products on offer in every category across the store but the excellent use of all point-of-sale marketing available, highlighting new SPAR brand products to encourage sales.”

The company's sales and marketing director Nick Kenworthy said: “We had a record number of entries this year, all of a very high standard which made the job of the judges very difficult. Along with the other winners, this award-winning store has set the standard for other SPAR stores in the south west to follow.”