September 2010 by Fiona R.
Hardford Link Service Station is probably the best located (and busiest) station in Newtownards. The large Spar stocks a huge selection of food from Ben and Jerry's ice-cream to tinned soup. It also sells the local 'Mash Direct' range (e.g. fresh champ, mash and cabbage) which is great for making a 'cheat's' Sunday dinner. There is quite a lot of fruit and vegetables on sale for a local garage, however on occasions they have appeared to look quite dried out and lacklustre which is disappointing. Similarly although there is a good range of bouquets, at times they are equally as limp and withered. My top tip would be to pay a visit as early in the morning as possible to ensure the freshest quality. Speaking of early mornings, this is also the best (and more than likely the only time) to visit the elusive Streat deli- which I've generally found to be shut more times than it is open. This really is a shame, as they have a great selection of fresh baguettes/pastries and stock the delicious Glastry farm ice-cream. However the Spar sells a huge range of pre-packed sandwiches and salads, which makes up for the apparent lack of a deli....kind of. There is also a Tim Horton's donut and coffee section- a haven for caffeine junkies like myself. I have found in recent months that Spar is morphing into Poundland- with shelves of toiletries and drinks priced at (you've guessed it) one pound! Definitely useful if you're planning a last-minute road-trip. There is also a self-service jet car wash within the premise's grounds, as well as a Cash and Carry coal store and ATM. A Winemark store is located in close proximity, selling wine, beer and spirits at reasonable rates. In the countdown to occasions such as Christmas, a range of giftsets are available and there are also impromptu wine-tasting events within the store.
