Employee-owned wholesaler Parfetts has introduced its off-licence fascia, The Local, to Carlisle for the first time after securing a four-store deal with independent retailer Mark Duckworth.
The move sees four long-standing sites across the city, located at Old Raffles Parade, Denton Holme, Harraby and Furze Street, move to Parfetts. All four stores had previously traded under the Bargain Booze fascia for more than 20 years.
Investment and retained staff
Significant investment across Duckworth's four stores has seen each shop overhauled with new branding, fresh interior layouts, upgraded refrigeration and modern checkout systems to speed up service. All 35 members of staff have been retained across the estate, ensuring familiar faces remain behind the counter for regular shoppers.
Converting to The Local has enabled the stores to extend their alcohol range and introduce Parfetts Go Local Own-Brand. The stores also continue to host community services, including National Lottery, parcel pickup and drop-off, and PayZone terminals, and promote locally sourced produce.
Retailer and area manager comments
Duckworth said: “When you’ve been with the same wholesaler for over two decades, making a change is a big step, but joining Parfetts has turned out to be the right decision for us. The Local gives us the flexibility we need to grow and maintain our margins.
“We are firmly rooted in the communities we serve and on first-name terms with many loyal customers who have been shopping with us for 20 years. Parfetts really understands the importance of a community connection, and it’s equally important to them as it is to us, which made the decision to become part of The Local the perfect move for us.”
Jackie Scott, area manager for the stores, said: “We wanted the freedom to set the range and prices in each store around what our customers actually buy, rather than having to follow a set format. Since moving to Parfetts, we’ve extended our alcohol range and improved margins by up to 3%.
“The promotions give us plenty of opportunities to offer good value, and the Go Local Own Brand range has gone down particularly well with customers. We’ve also had great support from the depot and retail teams.
“Free, reliable deliveries mean we can keep the stores well-stocked and change ranges more often, something we couldn’t do with our previous wholesaler. Moving to The Local has worked really well for us, and the business has continued to grow.”
Parfetts' growth strategy
Parfetts launched The Local fascia to sit alongside its fast-growing Go Local symbol group. The Local is an off-licence fascia focused on helping retailers maximise margins and drive sustainable growth. The model offers the same simplicity that has helped Go Local become one of the fastest-growing symbol groups in the UK. All retailers in The Local fascia benefit from a 2% rebate, free delivery and regular promotional offers across a wide range of beers, wines and spirits.
Guy Swindell, joint managing director of Parfetts, said: “Mark and his committed team bring the experience and drive that underpins the growth of The Local.
“Having an experienced operator trust us with four sites that have served Carlisle communities for over 20 years shows the real strength of what we offer.
“Our focus is to give independent retailers competitive pricing, direct promotional support and total flexibility without locking them into rigid contracts. We’re delighted to welcome Mark to The Local and look forward to building on this initial success together.”
