In the fast-paced world of food retail, the challenge for refurbishment projects lies in transforming retail spaces efficiently, without compromising the shopping experience during the process. Here, Mark Holtom, Operations Director at Morris & Spottiswood takes a closer look at the key ingredients to successful project delivery.

For FMCG retailers and supermarkets, where customer experience directly impacts bottom-line performance, refurbishments must balance modernisation goals with practical operational realities. Stores often need to remain open during renovations, creating unique challenges that demand specialised expertise and thoughtful approaches.

1. Look after the client’s customers

Properly servicing our clients means protecting their customers’ shopping experience. Therefore, everything we do, from initial planning through to project completion, must prioritise the retailer's customers – particularly when stores are to stay open during the fit-out process. Phasing plans are designed to minimise disruption, ensuring clean and safe shopping environments each morning, and maintaining product availability throughout the refurbishment.

Techniques like ‘skating’ gondolas - moving entire shelving units at once - significantly reduce merchandising disruption while allowing work to progress efficiently. Proper hoarding and comprehensive dust control measures are also essential for preserving a pleasant shopping atmosphere, which can include scheduling additional cleaning rotations to ensure all shelving and surfaces are properly cleaned of residual airborne dust particles.

Health and safety is also vital, so all renovated areas must be thoroughly inspected to confirm the space is safe and secure, with no potential trip hazards or tools left on-site. Maintaining overall presentation standards in this way protects our client’s brand reputation and customer loyalty – while also strengthening our own working relationship.

2. Plan properly

A successful retail fit-out is all in the preparation, from building a thorough and detailed understanding of the client’s requirements, to developing meticulous plans that ensure every element is carefully thought out and in place long before we arrive on site.

This begins with a thorough scoping meeting where we walk the store with the retail client and understand exactly what needs to be installed. We then produce a comprehensive program and phasing document - what we call a block plan - that clearly communicates the project timeline to the retail team and all supply chain partners.

We design detailed phasing documents showing week-by-week plans, including which fixtures are moving when, allowing store teams to prepare accordingly. This pre-development stage establishes critical timelines for pre-start meetings and delivery coordination, reducing the likelihood of delays or disruptions during actual construction.

3. Build a strong supply chain

Having an effective supply chain in place is absolutely crucial. We engage with all contractors - both our own and the client's direct suppliers - as if they're part of one unified team. This joined-up approach ensures everyone understands their responsibilities and how they fit into the overall project timeline.

For instance, when managing refrigeration replacement, coordinating between removal teams, installation contractors, and commissioning specialists requires seamless collaboration. By treating every contractor as part of our extended team rather than separate entities, we create a cohesive working environment where any challenges can be resolved much faster, with better outcomes for everyone involved.

4. Choose the right site team

With the right team you can achieve great things, and this comes down to understanding the client’s needs, building strong relationships and communicating effectively. The site manager is the linchpin in the process, and they need to understand the unique challenges of working in live retail environments – ideally with experience of managing overnight work schedules and ensuring trading-ready conditions each morning.

The right site manager acts as a bridge between the retail team and construction crew, anticipating issues before they arise. They must understand retail-specific requirements like maintaining clear fire exits, managing noise during trading hours, and adhering to safety protocols that protect both workers and shoppers. Remaining in close communication with the retail managers and focusing on becoming a genuine part of the store team, rather than just an external contractor, fosters the partnership-based approach that successful retail projects require.

5. Working in a Live Environment

Managing safety in a live retail environment requires scrupulous planning and execution. We implement clear separation between construction zones and customer areas with hoarding and barriers. For refrigeration work, we coordinate carefully planned removal routes, ensuring areas are securely cordoned off when the store reopens.

Planning also includes considerations such as providing retail staff with ear protection when necessary, scheduling construction workers’ breaks around the store staff, and ensuring all areas are clean and trading-ready each morning. All these measures ensure that customers, site teams, and store staff remain safe throughout the refurbishment process.

When these five elements come together, retail refurbishments can progress smoothly with minimal disruption to trading, satisfied customers, and a transformed store delivered on time and to specification.

At Morris & Spottiswood, we have extensive experience in delivering refurbishments in a wide variety of retail settings, including supermarkets and FMCG, and high-street financial institutions. Drawing on the combined experience and skills of the wider Morris & Spottiswood Group we can offer a comprehensive, end-to-end delivery – from small-scale store updates to a full turnkey design and build service.

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