All Forecourt Trader articles in June 2012 – Page 2
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News
PRA supports PM’s concern over fuel duty rise
RMI Petrol Retailers’ Association (PRA) has said it strongly supports the Prime Minister’s concern over the duty rise of 3.02ppl planned for August 1, which with the addition of VAT at 20%, will increase prices at the pump by 4ppl. Brian Madderson, PRA chairman said: “David Cameron knows it ...
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FairFuel UK calls on Treasury to quantify cost of duty hike as PM supports cancellation
FairFuel UK has made a fresh appeal on the Treasury to quantify the economic and social cost to the UK of the 3ppl hike in fuel duty planned for August.The call comes as Prime Minister David Cameron was reported to be in support of the cancellation of the duty increase, ...
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News
RMIP goes back to PRA by popular demand
RMI Petrol is to be known once again as the Petrol Retailers’ Association (PRA) by popular demand. The name was changed more than two years ago to better reflect the Association’s status as part of the Retail Motor Industry Federation (RMI).However Brian Madderson, chairman of RMI PRA said: “The decision ...
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News
OFT approves sale of 18 Rontec sites to Sainsbury’s
Sainsbury’s acquisition of 18 former Total-branded petrol stations from Rontec has been cleared by the Office of Fair Trading. The deal will expand the supermarket’s forecourt network to 284 sites. There is no confirmed timetable for the transfer of sites, but all existing staff will have the opportunity to transfer ...
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News
Rival grocery outlets free to challenge supermarket land use restrictions from July 1
From next month businesses will be able to apply to the Office of Fair Trading for the removal of land use restrictions which limit competition against any of the UK’s seven largest grocery retailers. This measure, which comes into force on July 1, is designed to help shoppers benefit ...
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NewsPay at pump tops poll as most important factor in forecourt choice
More than a third of motorists choose to fill up in forecourts with outdoor payment facilities, according to new research from customer intelligence company Market Force. As Asda and Sainsbury’s announced they were cutting up to 3ppl from the price of fuel last week, Market Force asked 9,000 UK motorists ...
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News
Raiders rip out cash machine at Sussex forecourt
Ram raiders used a stolen flatbed truck to break into a Sussex petrol station and rip out a cash machine from inside early yesterday morning (Monday June 18).The incident took place at Top 50 Indie Elite Garages’ site on Brighton Road in Mannings Heath at 1.20am yesterday morning. Police and ...
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News
Termination of operations at Coryton continue as 180 jobs cut
Around 180 staff at Coryton refinery will be made redundant next week, increasing the likelihood of the Essex facility being transformed into a storage terminal.The joint administrators of Petroplus Refining and Marketing held a meeting with the employees and unionised workforce at Coryton yesterday to explain their plans for the ...
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News
‘Get in your limos and face Coryton workers’, ministers told
Ministers should get in their government limousines, and go and face the Coryton workers and tell them why there is no state aid available to tide the plant over, Unite the union has said. Unite threw down the challenge to Ed Davey, the energy and climate change secretary, and his ...
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News
Former Russian minister bids to keep Coryton refinery open
A former Russian energy minister has emerged as the sole bidder for the Coryton oil refinery in Essex, which supplies about 20% of fuel for London and the South East.Igor Yusufov, the energy minister in Vladimir Putin’s first term as Russian president, was revealed as sole bidder in a report ...
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News
Convenience retail proves resilient to economic woes, says Christie & Co
The convenience retail sector continues to demonstrate its resilience against the economic tide, according to Christie & Co’s Business Outlook Summer 2012 publication, its first-ever interim report.The report highlighted that in the petrol forecourt arena, the Chancellor’s refusal to cancel the forthcoming fuel duty increase will potentially damage sales volumes ...
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News
Pensioners back FairFuel UK campaign to scrap August 3ppl duty rise
The Pensioners Campaign UK has voted overwhelmingly to support FairFuel UK’s fight for lower petrol and diesel prices, as the cost of filling up a car hits pensioners harder than many sectors of the population.FairFuel UK has been rallying support for a Budget amendment to scrap the 3ppl fuel duty ...
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News
State aid rebuff for Coryton ‘a kick in the teeth’ to workers, says Unite
Nearly 1,000 workers have been ‘kicked in the teeth’ by the government’s decision not to apply for state aid from the European Commission, Unite the union has said.Unite assistant general secretary Tony Burke said today (Friday June 15): “If Coryton had been a bank, you can be sure that ministers ...
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News
Delegates gather for start of biennial Petroforum
Around 180 fuel industry delegates are gathering for next week’s 2012 PetroForum in the Algarve to participate in an eclectic mix of topical forums. Brian Madderson of RMI Petrol – whose tireless campaigning has invigorated the Association’s profile with Government and the media – opens with an overview on the ...
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NewsA successful start for Pace at Foxlydiate
Foxlydiate Service Station near Redditch had been closed for almost 15 months when business partners David Hill and Jackie Braziel eyed an opportunity. The experienced petrol retailers tidied up the premises, introduced Mace to the shop, Pace on the forecourt and 24 months on, the site is pumping 1.8ml and shop takings are up to around £1500 a day and still growing. “We have made good progress and our daily footfall is now above 600,” said David. “At first, motorists were largely unfamiliar with the name Pace, but the new image revitalised the site and the Mobil branding on the pole proved a very strong proposition. We have no chimney pots nearby but benefit from a busy through-route location and a multi-faceted business.” Alongside the four-island eight-pump layout is a convenience shop, used car sales, tyre bay and MOT and servicing centre. “Pace has supported us in the shop as well as on the forecourt,” said David. “We felt that with a smaller company, from the tanker driver to head office staff, there would be a greater appreciation and understanding of our business. “Pace offered a flexible approach and a package that suited our requirements. That flexibility extends to orders and, despite a restrictive tank layout, things run smoothly and a good pattern of deliveries has evolved. There is also a swift response to any queries.” After a strong start, shop sales began to plateau, but with the support of Mace and the Pace shops consultant, David and Jackie undertook immediate action and some further investment, including extending the drinks and chilled offerings, with very positive results. Shop and off license sales continue to accelerate as the site goes from strength to strength.
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News
RMIP missive to PM to "fully engage with the industry"
A missive expressing deep and growing concern about the failure by the Government to properly talk with the fuel retailing industry has been sent to the Prime Minister David Cameron by RMI Petrol chairman Brian Madderson.In it Madderson states that had there been proper consultation in the weeks prior to ...
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News
OFT promised further evidence to demonstrate need for market study
RMI Petrol has promised to gather further evidence of current practices which are distorting competition in the fuel retailing sector to help change the Office of Fair Trading’s opinion about the need for an inquiry.The OFT recently decided against a market study into road fuel retailing, but left the door ...
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News
Possible buyer for Coryton, claims Unite
There could be a possible buyer for the troubled Coryton oil refinery in Essex, according to the Unite union.Unite national officer Linda McCulloch said: “We understand that there is a possible buyer for Coryton. We can’t say who it is at present as that might jeopardise any negotiations. We understand ...
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Blakemore to launch planograms for forecourts and rolling weekly promotions
Forecourt-specific planograms and rolling weekly promotions were just some of Spar wholesaler Blakemore’s sales-boosting plans revealed at its annual conference yesterday (June 12). Developing partnerships was the main theme of the conference, and group managing director Peter Blakemore spoke of the successes of the Capper/Blakemore integration, detailing how the two ...
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Madderson – still waiting for urgent meeting with Greening
Transport secretary Justine Greening has been urged to talk to industry representatives before issuing a proposal for a voluntary code of conduct as threatened via press interviews last month.In a strongly worded letter sent today, RMI Petrol chairman Brian Madderson complained that despite having made immediate contact with the Department ...