By David Duffy Convenience store chain Spar is looking to recruit new stores in Oxfordshire to boost its national expansion.

The drive is being led by Spar's wholesaler Capper & Co, whose territory extends from Oxford to north-east London, the Midlands and South Wales.

Alun Williams, sales director for Capper & Co, said: "We have experience in operating state-of-the-art SPAR convenience stores.

"Our Millennium store format has meant that our stores are now bright and modern with longer opening hours.

"In addition, an improved and increased product range means that more than 73 per cent of our shoppers now visit a SPAR store more than once a week."

The chain is looking for three types of store. Firstly, it seeks city-centre and commuter hubs with a retail sales area of 1,000 sq ft to 3,000 sq ft, trading 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The sites will attract shoppers, commuters, office staff and late-night revellers and should be easily accessible by car and access for HGV service vehicles.

Its second target is petrol filling stations with a selling area of 3,000 sq ft, HGV articulated vehicle service access area, and space for customer parking.

Thirdly, it is seeking neighbourhood stores with a selling area of between 1,500 sqft and 5,000 sq ft, customer parking spaces and separate service access for HGV articulated vehicles.

Mr Williams said Spar was also looking to take over a number of sites, including new-build, vacant sites or units, either freehold or leasehold.