Retailer Geoff Ross has already seen fuel sales rise since changing his Watcombe Service Station site in

Torquay to Gulf last month. Geoff bought the site, which has a Costcutter store, about two years ago – sharing responsibility of the business with his wife Julie.

He said: "Julie and I have been together for 37 years now and we work really well together. I previously worked on a self-employed basis in a different field. As it was outdoor work, it was terribly affected by any bad weather and we wanted to be involved with something a lot more stable.

"I’m looking for stability and to keep on the cutting edge of technology in areas such as credit card payments. We’ve got Gulf oils and lubricants coming in as well, which will be another good addition as the business moves forward."

He added that the site – Gulf’s first in the popular seaside town – had recorded higher sales figures and improved customer feedback since its June revamp. "It’s been excellent, our sales are already up on the unleaded, Gulf is a big name with a strong presence at prominent racing events like Le Mans; it’s resurging at the moment.

"The forecourt had been starting to look quite untidy but we now have customers coming in and commenting on how professional everything is looking.

"We knew from day one that we wanted a named petrol station, the ball began to roll with Gulf about 12 months ago. It took a bit of time but it was totally worth the wait."

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