Asda has kicked off a new price war by slashing fuel prices – and claiming motorists are being “ripped off” at the pumps. The supermarket announced yesterday that it was lowering the cost of a litre of unleaded to 90.9p, its 10th consecutive cut in petrol prices since July. It also reduced the price of diesel to 105.9p per litre.
The Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) has called on the chancellor to take immediate and decisive action to postpone increases in business rates planned for next year.
Gulf Retail has signed five more sites around the country to add to its stable of dealers. The forecourts, all independents run by different owners, have recently opened under Gulf or are due to open before the year-end.
Turtle Wax is moving into the car wash branding business – and targeting independent petrol retailers. The car care company says the move is part of its strategy to expand distribution for its Professional range of products which are aimed at businesses operating car
The Retail Motor Industry Federation (RMIF) has called on the government to work with the industry to help revive the economy. Speaking at last week’s RMIF Parliamentary Dinner 2008, Paul Williams, RMIF chairman, said: “Confidence in our financial system
Richard Harding has been named as BP's new UK Convenience Retail director. He succeeds Karen Hubbard and will take up his new post on December 1. Harding, who has been with BP for 20 years, said: "This is the job I have wanted to do for a long time. I feel passionately
The Car Wash Association (CWA) is calling on retailers to contact their local MP as part of a new co-ordinated letter campaign to tackle unregulated car wash operations. The group wants to
GNE Group has announced that it is keen to buy more forecourts in the UK. The company, which recently announced the completion of the sale of Petrol Express Limited for £51.66m, said it wanted to buy petrol retailing sites and/or make
Lorna McLaughlin of the Vivo forecourt store in Mountsandel, Coleraine in Northern Ireland was the overall winner of the Sales Assistant of the Year awards run by Forecourt Trader's sister
Independent dealers have been left between a rock and a hard place following the speed at which fuel prices have fallen in the past month. Some also feel there is no one to defend their position to the public - particularly following prime minister Gordon Brown's call for forecourts to bring down fuel prices in line with the fall in the price of
The Petrol Retailers' Association (PRA) has criticised the media for being obsessed with the price of fuel, and said that it is doing all it can to defend independent retailers. PRA director Ray Holloway rejected comments that the organisation was not doing enough to be a voice for independents on this issue.
The Petrol Retailers' Association (PRA) has criticised the media for being obsessed with the price of fuel, and said that it is doing all it can to defend independent retailers. PRA director Ray Holloway rejected comments that the organisation was not doing enough to be
The Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) has rejected calls for a Code of Practice for alcohol retailers. Instead it has called for more guidance for local authorities and enforcement agencies to help them use the powers already available to them.
Police are hunting a three-man masked gang, which is targeting filling stations in the Lincolnshire area in a series of night-time raids. So far, the haul has always been cigarettes and the getaway vehicle a Land Rover. The robberies have occurred when the forecourts are closed, and have all been caught on
Total rewarded employees at an award-winning site by giving them the day off and getting head office staff to run the forecourt instead. The Pin Green forecourt in Stevenage fought off competition from 249 other stores to receive Total's Best Premier Store Award 2008.
Murco Petroleum has confirmed the £51.66 million acquisition of Petrol Express Limited from its parent company GNE Group plc.
Earlier this year GNE Group reported a full-year profits jump by 93% to just over £1 million after margins in both shops and fuel improved. GNE chairman David Port, said margins had also increased
The Petrol Retailers' Association (PRA) has called for the government to put a freeze on fuel duty to cut prices on the forecourt. PRA director Ray Holloway said Gordon Brown could reduce fuel prices though a fuel tax reduction but was avoiding taking action.
The Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) has called on the government to take the lead and instate a Grocery Ombudsman, as recommended by the Competition Commission’s investigation into the Grocery Market.
GreatGas Petroleum has added four forecourts to its network in Ireland. The contracts, said to be worth in excess of 10 million euros, mean the Irish owned independent fuel supplier has signed 10 new forecourts in the past six months.
BP is making good progress in its drive to improve performance, chief executive Tony Hayward said today as the company announced underlying profits for the third quarter of 2008 of $8.9 billion, excluding non-operating items and fair value accounting effects.
THE issue of wholesale fuel prices in Orkney is to be taken to the Office of Fair Trading, according to a story in the island's local newspaper Orkney Today. The report said the situation had been
Asda has followed Morrisons’ lead by slashing its fuel prices again.
Today Asda announced that, starting tomorrow morning, all its 172 forecourts in the UK would sell petrol at 97.9p per litre and diesel at 109.9p per litre.
Gordon Brown’s call for forecourts to cut fuel prices at the pumps in line with the fall in the price of crude oil or risk an Office of Fair Trading investigation is too simplistic according to the Forecourt Division of the Federation of Petroleum
The Transport Minister Andrew Adonis has announced plans to revise the government’s biofuels targets while ploughing more money into research in the area.
Retailer pressure was behind BP's resumption of talks with card giant Arval, according to PRA director Ray Holloway. Having been told in August that BP had decided to discontinue its Arval connection due to escalating costs,
A new association has been formed to represent those working in the car wash industry. The Car Wash Association (CWA) wants to recruit more members to help work for best practice in the
The M&S Simply Food brand could soon be seen on independent BP forecourt sites around the country, if a franchise pilot - to be launched in the new year - proves successful.
Automatic shutdown systems to prevent overfill at fuel storage terminals have been announced by UKPIA and the Tank Storage Association, as part of the ongoing process to improve safety at major fuel storage terminals following the disaster at the Buncefield oil terminal in December 2005.
Five oil companies have so far signed up to exhibit at next year's International Forecourt and Fuel Equipment Show (IFFE), which will take place at the Birmingham NEC from March 1-3, 2009.
Three fraudsters operating an international credit card scam via petrol stations have been jailed. They used a Leicester warehouse to store footage, from covert cameras, of PIN numbers being inputted into pads at garages across the country.
GNE Group plc has entered into a conditional share purchase to dispose of its main operating subsidiary, Petrol Express, to Leopard No. 2 Investments for £51.66m. For full details log onto http://www.forecourttrader.co.uk
With fuel volumes down, Arval cards under threat, and question marks over tobacco and alcohol, how concerned are you about the health of your business over the next 12 months?
Philip and Lesley Tout of Budgens Nailsea in Bristol were the Forecourt Trader of the Year winners last night at a glittering awards ceremony at the London Hilton Hotel, Park Lane. The evening was hosted by Shaun Williamson of Eastenders fame, and featured a James Bond theme with a lookalike Jaws, gold-painted girls and a 'Casino Royale' complementing a great line-up of entertainment. It was attended by nearly 700 guests from the petrol retailing industry.
The Touts were presented with their award and a cheque for £3,000 by Forecourt Trader editor Merril Boulton, who described their Esso-branded forecourt as "a stunning site that raises the bar in terms of forecourt and store design".
BP will continue to accept Arval fuel cards at its petrol stations. The oil company had previously stated it was terminating its contract with Arval at the end of next month due to escalating costs. It had told dealers they were free to continue accepting Arval business but would have to foot the bill themselves and deal with Arval directly.
GNE Group plc has entered into a conditional share purchase agreement to dispose of its main operating subsidiary, Petrol Express Limited (PEX), operating under the brand name Petrol Express, to Leopard No. 2 Investments Limited for £51.66 million. The deal is subject to the purchaser assuming
As BP prepares to sever all ties with Arval, the issue of card payments has been hitting the headlines. BP wrote to its dealers last month saying it was ending its agreement with the fuel card company due to soaring costs. And while many retailers seemed to agree that Arval had been too greedy, they remain worried about losing this part of their business.
Murco Petroleum has moved into the Scottish market for the first time by buying seven sites from group dealer Brownwight & Wall. The Jet-branded sites are all west of Edinburgh in the West Lothian and Falkirk areas and Murco said it is on the lookout for "further network growth opportunities throughout the UK".
Marks and Spencer is opening its 100th Simply Food store on a BP Connect site this month. The Towcester North Simply Food at BP Connect on the A43 will open for business on September 10.
