Whoever said a week is a long time in politics (prime minister Harold Wilson in 1964 apparently), could not have coined a more apt phrase for what’s happened in the past seven days (writing on July 1). Chaos and skullduggery appears to be the order of the day as the so-called ruling classes are too busy indulging in a right old battle of their own, to actually rule the country. And those that put them there us can only look on in sheer horror and amazement. Just who are these people with their ideologies, giant egos and personal agendas, and will we ever believe what any of them say again? It’s like one of the more outrageous episodes of Yes, Prime Minister. But ’twas ever thus.
Just like always, it’ll be up to the rest of us to pull together divided we fall! and get on with the day-to-day business of making the best of whatever happens in the future. And you in the service station sector are well practised at that. It’s not like you’ve not experienced uncertainty before. As Susie Tew of the Simon Smith Group says (see News, p4), uncertainty in the markets will create a challenge as the fuel prices will be affected by the exchange rates "but we’ve had volatility over pricing before, and we’ll deal with it again".
She adds that it’s important to be on top of your game and keep an eye on what’s going on. Well said! Elsewhere there is a generally pragmatic reaction from retailers it’s very much business as usual. After all, forecourts are at the heart of daily life, whether it’s fuelling the nation’s vehicles, feeding motorists, or providing a much-needed range of services for the local community such as the Hockmeyers (see Retail Focus, page 28). Service stations seem better placed than many sectors to ride the storm.
Meanwhile, I’m sure you’re probably done with the whole voting thing, but please
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