MP visits award winning convenience store

14/05/2012

Arundel & South Downs MP Nick Herbert visited Knight's Budgens of Hassocks on Friday (4 May) after they were crowned Convenience Retailer of the Year 2012 by the Convenience Retail Awards recently.

This national competition celebrates the very best convenience stores that the UK has to offer in terms of customer service, community interaction, and business achievement.

Store owner David Knight and wife Lynette have connected with local people through an exciting programme of marketing and community engagement initiatives. These include working with local schools and inviting children to design labels for local products.

The store itself stocks over 3000 locally sourced products from 58 different suppliers.

David & Lynette have also made the environment a priority, installing a refrigeration system, which reduced the stores carbon footprint by 115 tonnes.

David Knight commented: "I was very pleased to show Nick around the store to share with us our recent success at winning Convenience Retailer of the Year and best large convenience store at the 2012 Convenience Retail Awards."

"I think it is important that local MPs should engage with the community and local business to understand real issues that affect us on a day to day basis and Nick was keen to do just that."

Following the visit Nick Herbert added: "I was delighted to visit Knight's Budgens once again and see for myself how this store has gone from strength to strength.

"By stocking so much local produce as well as offering the usual supermarket goods, David Knight has pioneered a brilliant partnership with local suppliers and shown that the public can have the best of both worlds.

"He is a true entrepreneur and Knight's Budgens deserves its awards and the high regard in which it is held in the local community."

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For further information please contact Gary Markwell on 07742 666 740.