Spar operator the Chartman Group has acquired the Lydford Service Station and forecourt store in Somerset, its 10th site in the South West.

The group purchased the former Budgens store for an undisclosed sum from Devizes Marina Village. The 2,800sq ft store immediately opened last week under the Spar fascia following the acquisition.

Clive Sheppard, a director of Chartman Group, said: “This was too good an opportunity for us to turn down. It is our intention to build on the success of the existing business and look at new opportunities to take it forward to the next level.”

The store offers off-road free parking, a 24-hour ATM machine, a wide range of fresh fruit and vegetables and chilled products, frozen foods, an in store bakery, Spar’s Daily Deli offer including hot food-to-go and fresh coffee, and a large selection of beers, wines and spirits.

Father and son team Allan and Tom Taylor, owners of Devizes Marina Village, acquired the closed petrol filling station in 2009 and subsequently undertook a comprehensive redevelopment to accommodate Shell and Budgens within the 0.5-acre site.

Tom said: “We recognised the potential in the site and, with my father’s expertise in forecourt development, we have been able to create a thriving forecourt and retail business. As forecourts are not our core business, it was always our intention to sell at an appropriate time.

“We are delighted that Chartman is acquiring the property and expect them to take the business to a new level with their considerable expertise in the sector.”

Chartman has an annual turnover of nearly £50m and more than 100 employees across its retail and wholesale operations, with Spar stores in 10 locations throughout Cornwall, Devon and Somerset.