Most weeks you’ll find stories on our website about forecourt operators applying for planning permission, which can be the most frustrating part of developing a forecourt. We talk to several operators who have recently come out the other side.
Some are quite straightforward applications that seem to sail through the process, while others garner lots of comments and queries from the authorities and other interested parties and take years for the council involved to reach a conclusion.
For Roger Perry, director of Harog Services, it took precisely a year to get planning permission to build a bigger shop at his site in the Leeds town of Ossett.
The old 400sq ft shop was demolished and a new 2,250sq ft store was built in a different location. The difference in location meant Roger’s business could stay open through most of the works. The new 2,250sq ft building at the Londis Prospect site has around 1,800sq ft of sales space with the rest of the space used for an office and kitchen.
Roger says that despite using an experienced architect, it took one year from submission to getting approval.
“Planning was the most frustrating part of the whole process. There were only 10 objections to what we were proposing. I was wanting to invest money to upgrade the facility and create jobs however, this seemed to count for nothing with the planners. They sat on things for weeks on end without any engagement, when they did engage we got questions on relatively trivial issues and then everything would go quiet once again.
“My advice would be to use good architects and put in a really detailed application, it may cost a little more up front however, this will save frustration and time in the long run. Finally, be prepared to be patient and don’t lose you sense of humour!”
For his inspiration for the new-look Londis, Roger spent a lot of time looking at what other businesses were doing and taking pictures of what he liked.“I wanted to create something that was different to what other forecourts were doing, that was right for my customers and bring it in on budget.
“I got a lot of help from my Londis forecourt development manager, Andy Tillison. In fairness a lot of the final look is down to him and his experience in doing forecourt re-developments.”
Bright and spacious
Roger’s purpose-built store opened last year. Highlights include a 7.5m run of chillers for fresh and chilled produce. There’s also a further 2.5m of frozen food and 7.5m of refrigeration for alcoholic and ‘low to no’ drinks.
The store’s bright and spacious interior also features an impressive food- and drinks-to-go station. The smart wood-panelled zone features two Costa Express machines, Tango Ice Blast, Coca-Cola Frozen, Fanta Frozen and three flavours of Calippo Slush.More recently Roger has added a new fresh milkshake offer. Shoppers can also prepare a fresh brew or hot noodles to go, by taking advantage of the hot water boiler.Roger says the lighting was a critical part of the shop:
“Getting the lighting right can enhance the feel and ambience of the shop. I briefed the designer as to the look I was after and asked him to get the most efficient lights possible.”Roger installed solar panels on the roof, which he says are working out well:
“On an annual basis they are generating around 17% of our electricity and should give a pay back in 5.5 years. To date they have not caused any issues and are not something we think about apart from the savings they generate.”
Obviously Roger spent a substantial amount of money on the new store but he says it was all worth it. “Profitability since the re-development has exceeded my expectations and it has given me a site that is fit for the future and this is reflected in the asset price should I decide to sell.
“Sales are still climbing at around 10% year-on-year. The new shop has also helped sales on the forecourt which are up 15% and the big improvement in facilities has improved margin as well. We are one of only two sites in Ossett and don’t get a lot of passing trade. We have seen some new customers and I think this accounts for the increase in fuel sales. The big difference has been forecourt customers now spend a lot more in the shop and we now have a considerable number of people who just call in for the shop rather than fuel which never really happened with the old shop. Basket spends are now much more frequent which is great.
“Local shoppers regularly tell us that the new store has changed their lives for the better, giving them access to a high-quality convenience range, key services and a highly enjoyable experience right on their doorstep.”
Award-winning work
When it comes to shopfitting, The Jordon Group knows its stuff. Its work at Exelby Services Southbound won the ‘Best New Forecourt in the Past 12 Months’ prize at the APEA Awards 2024.
Exelby Services, a trunk road service area, features a Shell petrol filling station with HGV bunkering forecourt, a retail shop and a truck park. The site underwent significant redevelopment in late 2023, which included expanding the shop, truck park and car parking facilities.
The Jordon Group did the complete fit-out works, from floor to ceiling, in the retail store. The shop extension boasts a flat roof that accommodated a 60kW solar PV system, reducing electricity costs and substantially lowering the site’s operational carbon footprint.
The new truck park was constructed with HRA tarmac to withstand the high usage and heavy wear and tear from the over 40 HGV trucks that use the facility each night. The truck park is one of the region’s highest security parking facilities, featuring a high-tech CCTV and ANPR gated access system with full perimeter lighting.
The shop extension also allowed for the installation of a kitchen prep area and hot food-to-go section, as well as an eat-in option under the Stone Willy’s Kitchen brand.
Managing director, Rob Exelby, says: “2024 has seen customer numbers soar and revenue exceed our targets, which is fantastic to see alongside the additional benefits of the development.”
New and improved
Top 50 Indie The Brookfield Group’s Tickled Trout Services on the M6 recently underwent a significant refurbishment to enhance its facilities for the convenience of drivers and commuters – with the help of The Jordon Group.
The upgraded Nisa Local store now offers a variety of food-to-go options, a state-of-the-art refrigeration system, improved toilet facilities and a refreshed seating area designed for comfort and convenience.
The 2,500sq ft shop now has Costa Express, Tango Ice Blast, Rollover Hot Dog, and a Rustlers station complete with a mini-fridge and microwave.
Further improvements included upgraded energy-efficient refrigeration and an advanced A/C system.
The Brookfield Group plans to introduce multiple EV charging points at the site, anticipating that customers will spend more time at the forecourt while charging their vehicles.
Umar Patel, operations director at The Brookfield Group, comments: “This project has been in planning for a couple of years and we’re thrilled to have completed the work. Our focus has been on enhancing the customer experience, saving business costs and retaining our loyal customers”.
The Jordon Group also worked on EG on the Move’s new Colne Services which is at the busy end of the M65, serving commuters and travellers heading towards Yorkshire on the A59, as well as residents and visitors to nearby towns such as Nelson, Brierfield and Colne.
The site features a Spar store, Starbucks with drive-through, Subway and Sbarro pizza.
It has modern restroom facilities as well as ample parking.
In addition, over the past six months, The Jordon Group has worked alongside MFG to hand over the successful integration of the 337 fuel stations and convenience stores acquired from Morrisons. Each site has been upgraded, with anything from new energy- efficient refrigeration equipment, right through to complete floor-to-ceiling modernisations. Upgrades will continue in the new year to further enhance the store offer.
Lucy Jordon, marketing manager at The Jordon Group says most of their forecourt clients are choosing to upgrade their refrigeration and HVAC equipment and adopt green technologies, such as remote refrigeration controllers and monitoring systems which help businesses reduce carbon emissions, cut operating costs and ensure that produce is stored in optimal conditions.
“We’re seeing an increase in food-to-go areas with seating and modernised toilet facilities too, in the anticipation that customers will spend more time at the forecourt while charging their EVs.”
All the curves
Gridserve is fast becoming known for the distinctive design of its sites. And now Algeco UK, a leading provider of permanent modular buildings, says it has completed one of its most distinctive buildings ever for a UK client – for Gridserve.
That building – at the Gridserve Electric Forecourt in Stevenage – is the two-storey retail and coffee outlet in a structure with four curved sides.
The ground floor of the building has 4,247sq ft of space and features a grocery retail outlet and coffee shop to keep drivers busy while their cars are charging. Level two of the building, with 4,236sq ft of space, contains an EV experience area and airport-style lounge.
The structure is based on Algeco’s IBEX modular unit and was built at its Carnaby factory. However, this is the first of its type for any client with all four sides being curved.
Paul Beard, senior design manager for Algeco UK, says the curved sides of the building created new challenges as it tested the tolerance of the steel used.
He explains: “The curves to all four sides of the building pose many challenges with tolerances experienced while curving the hot-rolled frames at temperatures exceeding 500 degrees. The external cladding also has to be millimetre perfect to achieve the desired aesthetics.”
