McColl’s store plan

MCCOLL’S Retail Group has outlined its plans to become a convenience store specialist.

The newsagent chain said it has bought 60 convenience stores and converted 45 newsagents to its food and wine format, after selling 100 newsagents earlier in the year.

The company said the final quarter of the financial year saw sales down 1.8pc, a 0.5pc improvement on the prior quarter.

Total sales rose 3.1pc for the year to date. Shares rose 5p to 142p, below the 191p it floated at in February last year.