Have a butcher’s at Alnwick business owner’s new venture

Mark Turnbull is best known as the fifth-generation family member of Turnbull’s of Alnwick and is current managing director of the Northumbrian Food Hall on the Willowburn Retail Park.

Now, Mark says he has decided to take all his knowledge and use it to help other independent retailers fast track their way to success with the launch of a new business venture, Impact Retail Training.

Inspired while attending a retail summit in the United States a couple of years ago, Mark realised he could use his retail knowledge to help others make the journey from shopkeeper to retail pro.

“I believe passionately that there is still a bright future in brick-and-mortar independent retail for those prepared to do the things necessary to drive their businesses forward in this omni-experiential period,’ said Mark.

‘Pre-Covid retail was challenging, but now, post-pandemic, the challenge is even greater. There will be many retailers who won’t last the journey, with many failing and even more just giving up. It’s hard work.”

Mark will be working with independent retailers, guiding them on a journey of ever-increasing difficulty, as they take on the big box stores and online giants

He is also lining up a number of talks with business groups around the North East and the rest of the UK, sharing his ideas, strategies and infectious passion from a successful career in retail.

"Impact Retail Training works to educate, motivate and inspire independent retailers, helping them run super successful stores and we do that by cracking the rhythmic acquisition of customers,” he explains.

"Most retail businesses are wrong in most of what they are doing because most people are either getting by or going broke – that’s how 80% of businesses are and that was never anyone’s plan.”

But Mark isn’t quite ready to completely hang up his butcher’s apron at Turnbull’s just yet.

“I love spending time on the shop floor with customers,” he said.

“It’s the thing I enjoy most in retail and I’ll still be around in our family food hall.

"I’m not allowing our team to take me completely off our schedule - I love our customers too much for that!”

Visit http://www.impactretailtraining.com for more details.