Sewell Retail was named the Forecourt Trader of the Year winner last night at a glittering awards ceremony at the London Hilton Hotel, Park Lane. The evening was hosted by veteran DJ Tony Blackburn and had a retro 70s theme, complete with an Abba tribute

Spar has reported overall sales up 8.1%, with like-for-like sales up 5.2%, in the three months (Q1) to July. Jerry Marwood, Spar UK MD, said the latest figures were very positive compared to most industry benchmarks, with a continued optimistic outlook for the months ahead.

The AA has described the govenment's plan to go ahead with this month's 2p fuel duty hike as "baffling" and "nonsensical", saying it has sympathy for retailers in the face of soaring prices.

BP has brought together its Convenience Retail, Logistics and Fuels business in the UK and appointed Neale Smither to

Kärcher Vehicle Wash has launched a scrappage scheme offering retailers up to £2,000 cashback for their old car wash. Similar to the government's

BP has signed a Joint Development Agreement with Martek Biosciences Corporation to develop biodiesel. US biofuels specialist Martek will work on technology to convert sugars into biodiesel for BP's Alternative Energy

This year's Forecourt Trader of the Year Awards includes a new award which aims to recognise the key industry players in the fuel retailing sector. The new award has been launched in conjunction with

Jet is running a Local Hero campaign aimed at helping its dealers gain more

A merchandising trial at the three Oxfordshire-based Fraser Group sites has led to a 12% uplift in sales of oil.

Paramedics had to deal with two separate incidents on the same forecourt within one hour of each other. The accidents happened on a Morrison's forecourt at Coventry's Alvis Retail Park.

MRH Retail, number one in our Top 50 Indies list, has opened a Spar store on its BP site in Nettlebed, Surrey.

Around 2,000 companies from across the UK are expected to take part in National Customer Service week, which will run from October 5-11.

== New text lube service ==

If you disagree with the proposed ban on the display of tobacco then there is still time to object. But don't delay. The Association of Convenience Stores has a very good website providing the background to the main issues and a draft letter you can copy and send to your MP before the October 12 deadline.

Are you worried that biofuels legislation could pose a threat to your business?

Forecourt retailers in the Republic of Ireland have been living with the new tobacco display ban regulations since July 1. It's early days yet, but a recent visit, care of Imperial Tobacco, revealed

GENERAL APPEARANCE: The village of Square and Compass, Pembrokeshire, is situated about midway between St David's and Fishguard on the busy A487. My stealthcheck target is the Square & Compass garage, which is clearly visible via its bright new Total pole.

== Do you have a 'sick note' on your team? ==

== All's well that ends well ==

As retailers throughout the land comb every nook and cranny of their businesses looking for different ways to keep costs down, newly-formed property company - Birmingham-based Barber Wadlow - is ensuring they don't miss out on the bigger picture, by offering some guidance on their property costs.

Eric Snowdon and his wife Min may only be a few years from retirement - but they're not frightened of taking on a fresh challenge when it comes to their business. Earlier this year, after 17 years running the Whitehouse Services forecourt in Devon, they decided the time had come to give their site a major facelift. The couple opted for a total knock-down and rebuild of the store, which meant operating the shop side of their business from a Portakabin for nearly three months.

You'll all be familiar with the saying 'the customer is always right' but forecourt retailer Jonathan James is more familiar with it than most. Jonathan is operations director of James Graven & Sons, which he runs with his wife, managing director Rebecca, in Cambridgeshire.

An increasing number of people are rolling up our sleeves and washing their cars. With drivers watching their wallets as the credit crunch continues, DIY car care is definitely on the agenda, so don't ignore this category.

Palmer & Harvey (P&H) launched its Partnership Plus programme last year to provide a 'total category management' service for convenience stores and forecourts.

If you are looking for lots of exciting new confectionery lines for this Christmas you're going to be disappointed. There are a few here and there, but mostly manufacturers are sticking to existing products that they know sell well.

In years gone by, grabbing a coffee on the way to work was something only the Americans did. Now it's commonplace here and many forecourts have got in on the act by offering hot drinks to go. However consumers are a discerning bunch and they demand quality and consistency. Luckily for you, there are many coffee machines available that offer just that.

When it comes to snacking, consumers just can't help acting on impulse. And, as the credit crunch squeezes shoppers, many feel they deserve to splurge on that occasional treat even more. According to AC Nielsen data, crisps and snacks is the only category within impulse that is currently in growth - up 3.8% (total market 52 w/e November 11, 2008). And as impulse snacking is worth £4.2bn a year, that 3.5% equates to a lot of sales.

Rolls Royce Motor Cars has chosen Kärcher Vehicle Wash as its preferred supplier for its new water leak test and car wash facility at its UK headquarters in Chichester, West Sussex.

Savortex Limited has launched what it says is the world's greenest hand drier. According to the company, founded by The Apprentice contestant Syed Ahmed, the Vortex hand drier uses patented spinning air technology that breaks up water droplets on the skin, accelerating drying times. As well as having a low carbon footprint and low cost of ownership, the company says it dries hands in just 10 to 15 seconds and is the quietest in its range.

Hako Machines has launched the compact Hako-Hamster 500E walk-behind sweeper, designed to provide powerful sweeping performance on hard floors and carpets.

PayPoint has secured direct distribution agreements with Vodafone, Virgin, T-Mobile and Orange that will allow retailers to receive commission of up to £5 on each SIM card when sold with a top-up voucher.

Payment processing company DataCash has added a new fuel cards service.

Cadbury this month launches its new premium chocolates aimed at the female gifting market.

Lucozade Sport is, once again, the Official Sports Drink of the Barclays Premier League.

The Easy-fill can is the invention of brothers Richard and Jim George, of Worcestershire-based company Easy-Fill Ltd.

Voltz Energy Shot drink is running a competition where consumers can win tickets to Europe's biggest extreme sports and music festival White Air 09. The event takes place in Brighton this month and entrants must submit a photo of themselves with a Voltz 5 hour energy shot drink in an "extreme situation".

Red Bull has revealed plans to roll out its new 473ml can to the wholesale channel.

UB has launched a limited-edition Pub Grub range to meet what it says is a growing trend for strong British flavours.

Firestar Energy Booster has been launched as an alternative to Red Bull and other energy drinks. The product is a small sachet of sherbet crystals that consumers eat - and requires no water or chilling.

Quaker has launched a new porridge aimed at children. Paw Ridge is designed to be a healthy but convenient option. The oat-based breakfast product comes in individual sachets which can be microwaved in 90 seconds.

Imperial Tobacco has introduced the ButtsOut personal ash tray (rrp 99p).

Kepak Convenience Foods has launched Rustlers Hot Subs. The range has two variants: southern fried chicken with creamy mayo and tangy meatballs with tomato & herb sauce. Rrp is £1.99.

JTI has launched three limited-edition designs for its Amber Leaf roll-your-own tobacco 12.5g flip-top pack. The packs will be available until the end of the month.

Scandinavian Tobacco has added an arome variant to its Café Crême Express range of miniature cigars. It joins blue and original. All have a rrp of £3.29.

Birds Eye has launched a range of frozen Italian meals. The cheese ravioli, ham & cheese tortellini and cheese tortellini are cooked in a steam bag in the microwave, rrp £1.69.

P&G says Lenor's entire portfolio now boasts four times longer-lasting freshness because it incorporates the innovative perfume micro capsule technology.

To celebrate growth in the vodka category, Dannoff is giving Forecourt Trader readers the chance to win a case of Dannoff vodka (six x 70cl bottles) to sell in their store. There are four prizes to be won.

To celebrate the launch of the Mars Bitesize "1 in 10 chance to win a DVD" promotion, in association with Warner Bros, we have £250-worth of Mars bitesize promotional products to give away to one reader.

Simply Coffee, which is a sponsor of National Rugby League, is giving away two exclusive VIP tickets to the Super League Grand Final on October 10 at Old Trafford.

I'm normally on the road by 6am, with a mug of tea by my side for the journey ahead - apart from Mondays when I tend to work from home, tidying up paperwork and resolving outstanding queries. I am away at least two nights a week. I know the work-life balance is not ideal, or the 50,000 miles a year I clock up, but I still have the same drive and enthusiasm now that I had when I joined Gulf Oil (GB) Ltd in the '80s, just a lot more Best Western loyalty points!

Write your name, address and phone number on a postcard or sealed envelope stating what you want – Lenor, Dannoff, Mars or Simply Coffee – and we'll do the rest, including delivery. Send it to us at Forecourt Trader, William Reed Business Media, Broadfield Park, Crawley, West Sussex RH11 9RT by September 30, 2009.