NEW MULTI MILLION POUND STORE TAKES ANOTHER STEP FORWARD

Mole Avon Trading continues the development of the long-awaited circa 30,000 sqft. country store in Crediton which will incorporate retail selling space, warehouse and head office space.

Following the successful completion of phase 1 of their multi-million pound new store development at the 3.5 acre site at Wellparks on Exeter Road, Crediton, Mole Avon are delighted to confirm the appointment of Devon Contractors Ltd, who along with consultants, Alder King, commenced work on the primary phase of the development earlier this month.

“This is Mole Avon’s biggest venture to-date and we are delighted to be marking another milestone in our ambitious development of the new flagship store” says Mike Haines, Managing Director of Mole Avon.

“We have invested in our Okehampton and Axminster sites over recent years and it is great that now, with this site at Wellparks, we are continuing the journey that will deliver a solid platform on which to support our sustained growth”. Mr Haines continues “We are firmly committed to helping boost the local economy by creating new jobs, by working with local suppliers in the construction of the new store and by holding fast to our core commitment of serving our traditional farmer base whilst increasing the breadth of the products and services we offer the wider community”.

John Lee, chairman of the board of directors for Mole Avon Trading Limited says “I am delighted that Mole Avon has taken another significant step forward in the process of relocating our Crediton store with the next phase of works at the Wellparks site”. Mr Lee continues “This marks a big step forward for the company and is great news for the communities we serve, the people currently working with us and for those we will need to recruit in the near future”.

Andrew Edmondson, partner in Alder King’s building consultancy team, commented: “Having been appointed from the outset as the Project Designer for this scheme, it’s very satisfying to now see construction getting underway. We will continue to co-ordinate and manage the construction works to ensure the new store is delivered satisfactorily, on time and within budget.”

Nick England, Director of Devon Contractors Ltd adds “this ambitious new store will enable Mole Avon to continue to grow in a sustainable manner, whilst retaining the key elements that make it the successful business that’s been trading in Crediton for the past 40 + years and we are excited to be a key part of making this happen and will be working hard to ensure the project is finished to the highest standard and targeting an early delivery of this exciting project”.

The company has been on its Mill Street site since the early 1970’s and has been eager to move to a suitable local site that enables it to serve its traditional farmer base alongside the wider community.

About Mole Avon

Avon Trading Limited is an agricultural merchant with country stores located in three sites within Devon; Axminster, Crediton and Okehampton. Employing 125 people, the company is owned by 1,000 shareholders with each shareholder owning an equal share in the company. The vast majority of these shareholders are local farmers, based around the three Mole Avon sites.

The three country stores are mainly aimed at the local farming community and the rural population in close proximity of the stores, with significant sales revenue coming from animal health products, animal feeds, field and yard equipment. The direct agricultural supplies business provides bulk farm inputs such as animal feed, fertiliser, seeds, crop packaging and fuel in the main delivered direct to farm. The forecourt operation on the Okehampton site includes a Texaco fuel petrol station and a SPAR convenience shop.

Given the changing landscape of Agriculture and the macro impacts of multichannel our business and operational needs are changing driven by customer demand and spend. This is evidenced in our large stores both at Oakhampton and Axminster were our general merchandise has grown in participation and we envisage this trend to continue in the medium term. The new store at Crediton will reflect this to ensure that the longer-term independents and continued success of our business is secured in all locations. Our stores are a meeting place for local rural dwellers as well as our core farming customers the facilities also need to reflect this known demand.

Contact for enquiries:

Caroline Webster, Marketing Manager, Mole Avon Trading Ltd

Email: carolinewebster@moleavon.co.uk

Tel: 07808 530107