All Latest News articles – Page 304
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News
RMI calls for tax cuts in Chancellor’s autumn statement
The Retail Motor Industry Federation (RMI) has called on the Chancellor to take action to stimulate growth in the economy and to lift burdens on consumers in his autumn statement on December 4. In its submission the RMI said monthly new car sales had risen successively during 2013 to a ...
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Five-year sentence for tobacco fraudster
A man who tried to set up an illegal tobacco factory capable of manufacturing tonnes of illicit shisha tobacco, has been sentenced to five years in jail. Mbarak Gowie, from Wembley, was convicted in his absence, for evading nearly £500,000 in duty and tax. Gowie failed to turn up last ...
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Traffic volumes up
UK traffic volumes increased by 2.3% in the third quarter of 2013, compared to the same period last year, according to estimates released by the Department of Transport. DoT said the increase could partly be attributed to the contrasting weather between the two periods, with the summer of 2012 experiencing ...
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£300,000 makeover doubles size of store
A Shropshire forecourt store has been re-launched after a £300,000 makeover that almost doubled its size. The four-week renovation and expansion project has increased the size of Blakemore Retail’s Bishop’s Castle forecourt store from 1,500sq ft to 2,960sq ft. The former Co-operative Group site, which was recently acquired by Blakemore ...
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Forecourt sales assistant wins Community Hero award
Forecourt sales assistant Tracy Hackett was presented with the Community Hero award as well as the prize for winner of the forecourt category at the Sales Assistant of the Year Awards 2013, organised by Forecourt Trader’s sister title, Convenience Store magazine. Tracy has worked for Henderson Spar Brackenvale in Belfast, ...
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NewsLeicester forecourt shop wins award
A Leicester forecourt shop has won a prize at the 12th annual Retail Development Awards at the Grosvenor House Hotel in Park Lane, London. Kalpesh and Meeta Raja, who run the shop at Parker Drive Service Station in Beaumont Leys, won the category award for beer and cider and £750 ...
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NewsPRA calls for government support on fuel duty deferment
The PRA has called on the government to support the duty deferment scheme which would facilitate a significant boost to petrol retailers’ cashflow, thereby strengthening forecourt businesses, and ultimately improving the UK’s fuel supply resilience. Chairman Brian Madderson explained that a tanker load of petrol today costs the independent retailer ...
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Forecourt owner invests in recycling carwash
The owner of Saints of Tarporley has installed what she believes is the first hand carwash in the north west that fully recycles the water it uses. Kamal Parmar, who owns the Murco service station in Cheshire, has invested a total of £60,000 in the facility including the canopy. She ...
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News
Cigarette smuggling fugitive jailed
A convicted cigarette smuggler who featured on a list of most wanted tax fugitives this summer has been found and jailed. After being named on HM Revenue and Customs’ (HMRC) most wanted list, Michael ‘Arthur’ Fearon, 21, from Newry, handed himself in to the authorities in Northern Ireland. He is ...
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Government support for fuel efficient engines
The government has launched two initiatives to encourage the development of more fuel efficient and low emission engines. Automotive companies are being challenged to come up with engine technologies that will make cars more energy efficient and ultimately change the way we drive, business secretary Vince Cable announced. He unveiled ...
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New motorcycle and scooter sales still growing
Motorcycle and scooter sales have continued on their upward trajectory after last month’s increase, with sales up 6.7% in October The latest new motorcycle and scooter sales figures show scooters were up 14.1%, although the year-to-date figure is still down -5.2%. Sales of 51cc-125cc models, the largest market segment were ...
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Number of independent petrol retailers growing across Europe
There has been an upsurge in the number of independent petrol retailers across Europe as the major oil companies have been selling off many forecourt sites, according to the latest research from global real estate advisor CBRE. Europe’s largest oil companies are placing greater emphasis on upstream activities such as ...
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NewsDramatic decline in independents in some rural areas
There has been a dramatic decline in the number of independent forecourts across the south west and north of England, the PRA has warned. Figures show that in just five years, key counties have seen a 20% reduction in the number of smaller petrol filling stations. PRA chairman Brian Madderson ...
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Asda petrol station plan refused in Newport
A planning application for a petrol station at an Asda supermarket in Newport has been rejected, but at the same meeting Morrisons was granted permission for a filling station at its supermarket despite an 860-strong petition against it. Council planners recommended the Asda scheme was refused because it was not ...
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News
Robbery at Gerrards Cross forecourt site
Thames Valley Police is appealing for witnesses after a robbery at the BP Garage, on the A40 in Gerrards Cross on Monday night. At around 10.40pm three men wearing balaclavas or face coverings entered the BP Garage and threatened the staff on duty, assaulting one of them. They then stole ...
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Massive diesel theft from Suffolk filling station
Suffolk Police have issued an alert to forecourt owners after thousands of litres of diesel were stolen from a filling station at Kentford, in Suffolk. The incident occurred between 8pm on Wednesday 6 November and 6am on Thursday 7 November at the Bury Road Filling Station. About 14,000 litres of ...
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ACS opposes abolition of personal alcohol licences
Abolishing the personal alcohol licence would not achieve a lessened regulatory burden for retailers and would lead to significant confusion and inconsistency is the message of the Association of Convenience Stores in its submission to Government. Chief executive James Lowman said: “Ministers announced in July their intention to remove the ...
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ACS urges changes to HMRC duty fraud proposals
The Association of Convenience Stores has responded to HM Revenue and Customs’ consultation on alcohol fraud, calling for the regulation of wholesalers to be properly enforced while minimising burdens on retailers. In its’ response, ACS has called on HMRC to ensure that retailers who very occasionally sell in large amounts ...
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ACS gives evidence to Low Pay Commission
ACS has given evidence to a hearing of the Low Pay Commission as part of its deliberations on the National Minimum Wage. Speaking to commissioners, ACS chief executive James Lowman said: “We urge the commission to recommend a freeze in the minimum wage. We are aware that there is significant ...
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Campaign to improve quality of used cars
The RAC has joined forces with the Trading Standards Institute and the Citizens Advice Bureau to launch a month-long campaign urging consumers to carry out checks when buying a used car. Research by Citizens Advice reveals that half of faults with used cars are discovered within a month of buying ...