SPECIAL FEATURE The M6 Service Centre came under the Centra umbrella in August 2011
M6 SERVICE CENTRE BRIGHTENS UP YOUR DAY
T
he M6 Service Centre on Kilbeggan’s Tullamore Road has been a great addition to the south Westmeath town since its rebranding in August 2011. Ronan McCarthy, who co-manages the busy Centra store and Topaz filling station, explains more. When first cousins and business partners Ronan McCarthy and Pat Rowan decided to give their small convenience shop and service station in Kilbeggan a complete makeover less than two years ago, they could scarcely have imagined the success it would become. Seeing the potential their business had, they brought two of Ireland’s leading brands – Centra and Topaz – on board. The old convenience shop was levelled to make way for a bigger and better forecourt and fuel area. The most significant change, however, was the conversion of a disused car showroom and garage to the back of
the site into a large Centra convenience store. Open 24/7, the M6 Service Centre has become an invaluable source to not only the locals, but also to the thousands of motorists who travel on the nearby M6 Dublin-Galway motorway every day. Renowned for its sumptuous selection of fresh foods, exceptional grocery service, friendly staff, delicious hot food, quality fuel, large car parking area and value-formoney, the M6 Service Centre is something the people of Kilbeggan can rightly feel proud of. “We first opened in May 2008,” Ronan recalls. “People were saying that the motorway would have an adverse effect on business in Kilbeggan; that we would lose the passing trade. But Pat and I knew that if we could provide the short of service that they were looking for, we could attract them off the motorway and that’s how it has turned out. We have also got fantastic
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support from local people for which we are extremely grateful. “We’re on the N52 route which extends from the border near Dundalk to the Mid-West and we also cater for customers who travel cross-country from Longford to Tullamore. So our customers are from all over Ireland really.” Ronan is also grateful to the Lambe brothers, Davy and Carthage, who he and Pat lease the premises from. “They ran a Mazda car dealership and filling station from this site for many years before relocating to Tullamore. We wouldn’t have been able to carry out the improvements we have without their support and backing,” he explains. The M6 Service Centre has grown to employ 26 staff (both full-time and part-time), all of whom are from the local area. Explaining the reason for opening 24 hours-a-day, Ronan says: “Originally, our opening hours were from 5am to 11pm, so we were only