All Forecourt Trader articles in December 2005
View all stories from this issue.
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News
Site numbers dip below 10,000 mark
The number of forecourt sites has dropped below 10,000, according to latest figures published by Catalist in its Market Summary Report. The total number of petrol stations in the UK is now 9,994. “This is apparently the first time since 1912 we’ve gone below 10,000 sites,” says Arthur Renshaw, Catalist’s ...
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Arval-only new cards
Fuel card company Arval is consolidating its Allstar, Dialcard and Overdrive brands. New-look cards will be branded ‘Arval’, with the Allstar name remaining as the network symbol for fuel and new service maintenance and repair networks. The Dialcard and Overdrive brands are to be phased out.
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News
IFFE show is back
Forecourt Equipment Show (IFFE) is back from March 19 – 22, 2006. Last year’s show was so successful it has now been made an annual event. Held at the NEC, Birmingham, more than 50 companies will be exhibiting, covering all aspects of the forecourt industry and supported by the major ...
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News
Gulf sign means fuel is back in West Wales
Gulf has returned to West Wales in an impressive way – in conjunction with the area’s largest convenience store. Siop y Frydiau, which translates into Shop by the Falls, on the busy A484 at Cenarth, has been subject to a £500,000 rebuild which included the reintroduction of fuel after an ...
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NewsEsso gets back on track
Much has been said about what Esso may or may not be up to in the UK – is it staying, going, losing its way? So who better to tell us than the proverbial horse’s mouth – Martin Todd, the company’s executive director of fuels marketing in the UK and ...
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NewsBP Connect takes the franchise route
BP Retail has launched a franchise trial of its BP Connect and Wild Bean Café. The first two sites are Crow Orchard Connect in Wigan and Maynestone Connect in Ashton under Lyne. Both are now operated by Wembley-based Motor Fuel Limited. The company is run by S Sejpal and S ...
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NewsShop Doctor: BP M&S Simply Food, Hammersmith
Can 1 + 1 = 3? Yes, I am certain it can. For example, when two enterprises come together the result may well be greater than the some of the original two parts.Would this be the case at the pilot BP/M&S Simply Food site at Hammersmith? Well, I went to ...
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News
NEWS IN BRIEF
The LP Gas Association has re-launched the Boost LPG website with all the latest news on the alternative fuel. The website is an independent consumer guide to LPG autogas and includes information on the benefits of the fuel, getting an LPG vehicle and filling up both in the UK and ...
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News
Gordons scores a century
Few service station businesses can claim to have been operating for over 100 years, but Gordons Ford in Lancashire is one of them. The family-owned business operates three Texaco petrol stations at Bolton, Horwich and Walkden, and has recently celebrated 70 years of working with the oil company. Starting ...
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News
High cost of drive-offs
Drive-off fuel thieves stole £1.2m worth of petrol in Leicestershire last year, a survey has revealed.According to a poll of 25 outlets – conducted by The Leicester Mercury newspaper – some forecourts were hit up to three times a week, and thieves were rarely caught because the quality of CCTV ...
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NewsDatabase: No time for paperwork
It is becoming evident that as more retailers find themselves urged into multi-site operation, the one aspect of running these ‘site groups’ that seems to have been neglected is the administration and paperwork. The assumption seems to be that it’ll take care of itself – the sites have modern PC-based ...
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NewsEsso on the hunt for new dealers
Esso is embarking on a recruitment campaign in the new year to sign up new dealers. Timo Halonen, the company’s dealer-owned service station manager for the UK and Ireland, said: “We’re here and we’re in business. We haven’t communicated our message well, but we’re now on a new regime to ...
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News
Delightful eggs
Cadbury Trebor Bassett’s Easter 2006 range focuses on special gifts, while the ever-popular Creme Egg is back in store and on TV screens from January 1. This year’s collection aims to build on the success of Cadbury Easter Egg Delight, the premium shell egg range launched for 2005. The luxury ...
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News
Turnover doubles with Mace fascia
Forecourt owner Nandan Kumar, who has two sites in Peterborough, has doubled the turnover in one of his stores since embracing the new-look Mace Express. Nandan’s success coincides with news from Palmer & Harvey McLane’s symbol division that the number of Mace Express members is up 20% on last year ...
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News
Pinning down fraud
Pinning down fraud It might be happy Christmas any minute but this is an early Valentine for you. If you are not Chip and PIN compliant by next February 14 you will have to carry the can for any fraudulent use of credit/debit cards. I know, it’s not the most ...
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Dynamic technology
Panasonic System Solutions has unveiled its latest range of equipment including CCTV, IP cameras and EPoS solutions, as well as iris recognition and digital signage.An innovative solution for the retail sector is the company’s WINICS Retail software – which can link till transaction data with employee activity as recorded from ...
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NewsEmerald-isle hat trick
Rural winner of the year 2005 - Sharon McKenna The Vivo Templepatrick forecourt in County Antrim really must be getting it right – this is the second year in a row it has won an award in our rural category and this year it has gone one better to be ...
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News
Let me entertain you
British consumers are spending more money than ever on entertainment – and not just on eating out or drinking down the pub. They’re shelling out to be entertained in their homes and cars. As such they’re demanding DVDs and CDs at an astonishing rate. Market forecasts estimate that 196 million ...
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Sims woos US with ’Simply’ great tales
BP retail director Graham Sims and M&S’s head of food formats Jill Bruce were among the speakers at this year’s National Association of Convenience Store’s (NACS) show held in Las Vegas last month.Addressing the audience of the ‘High Results: Adding World-Class Food’ workshop, Sims and Bruce talked about the Simply ...