By Karen Peattie

THEY are the local shops that many people use for top-up purchases between visits to the supermarkets. But now they have become the “new emergency service” as shoppers shun the queues to get into the big stores and opt instead for their neighbourhood convenience store such as Spar, KeyStore, Nisa, Londis, Premier and Day-Today during the coronavirus crisis, according to the Scottish Grocers’ Federation (SGF).

Representing about 5,000 convenience stores the length and breadth of Scotland, the industry body’s members have stepped into the breach to ensure that customers have easy access to a reliable supply of essential groceries. Many have introduced free home deliveries for vulnerable members of the community, or seen a sharp spike in existing delivery services as people follow official guidance to stay at home.

Pete Cheema, the SGF’s chief executive, said that the Covid-19 crisis has highlighted the role played by local stores. “Being able to shop local has been a lifeline for everyone across Scotland,” he said. “Convenience retailers have demonstrated how important they are to customers, the economy and communities.

“We all know that retailers are hardworking – convenience stores are open for about 14 hours every day and in 2019 more than 20 per cent of retailers were too busy to take a holiday – but in recent weeks they really have gone the extra mile in ensuring that vulnerable customers have been supplied with essential groceries and that vital services such as access to cash, bill payment facilities and Post Offices have continued to be available.

“Indeed, £175 million in council tax and rent payments are collected through convenience stores in Scotland every year.”

In Bellshill, retailer Abdul Majid, a former president of the SGF, runs a Nisa Local outlet. “Things have calmed down in terms of panic buying,” he said. “Most people couldn’t sustain this for financial reasons so what we’re seeing now is people who perhaps have not been to our store for years starting to come back to us again.

“We carried out a major refurbishment last year and people are genuinely surprised when they come in and see our range and high store standards,” Mr Majid continued. “People have rediscovered the benefits and ease of shopping locally – add in friendly customer service and it’s the whole package.”

Predicting that shopping habits will change post-coronavirus, Mr Majid said: “In the current climate, we’ve been able to impress on our customers yet again that we are an asset by increasing our range of fresh and chilled products, for example, and our aim is to work as hard as we can to keep them coming back when we get through this.”

Meanwhile, Glasgow retailers Natalie and Martin Lightfoot, who run the Londis Solo convenience store in Baillieston, have also seen a spike in sales of fresh and chilled produce as people avoid the supermarkets and shop locally. “It’s great to be able to provide a reliable service for regular customers and it’s nice to welcome new ones too,” Ms Lightfoot said.

“We’ve really gone the extra mile and our staff have been fantastic,” she added. “Will customers remember this when it’s all over? I really hope so but it’s up to us to keep reminding them that we’re providing a vital service at a time when everyone’s out of their comfort zone.”

Like Abdul Majid’s store, the Londis outlet is among those that have introduced or expanded home delivery services, in many cases delivering free of charge to vulnerable groups such as the elderly.

In Edinburgh, retailers Dennis and Linda Williams, owners of the Premier Broadway store in Oxgangs, have launched a hardship fund – and invested £1,000 of their own money – to help provide essential groceries and other essentials for local people experiencing financial difficulty due to Covid-19.

“Our stores really are the new emergency service,” said the SGF’s Pete Cheema.