All Latest News articles – Page 381

  • News

    Retailer blockaded by drivers defends parking policy

    2010-07-08T00:00:00Z

    A forecourt retailer whose site was recently blockaded by drivers over car clamping fees said fines and clamping were necessary to deal with problem vehicles. Chris Evans, who owns Trench Lock 24/7 in Telford, said: “We have 15-20 spaces for our customers. We have a children’s activity centre right next ...

  • News

    Gleaner returns to profit after first-ever trading loss

    2010-07-08T00:00:00Z

    Elgin-based Gleaner Oils recorded its first-ever trading loss last year, according to figures just released. However chairman Billy Laing told Forecourt Trader that things are currently looking up: “Last year was a bad year for everybody but we’re a strong established company with good liquidity. This year we have returned ...

  • At last - a UK World Cup success story
    News

    At last - a UK World Cup success story

    2010-07-01T00:00:00Z

    An incredible 1087 football shirts have been donated in Jet’s World Cup Football Shirt Amnesty. The national ‘Dig Out, Drop Off, Donate’ initiative cashed in on World Cup fever, encouraging local communities around 17 of Jet’s sites to dig out and donate last season’s football shirts, or those ...

  • News

    Refinery fire tragedy just days after Buncefield ’guilty’ verdicts

    2010-07-01T00:00:00Z

    Total UK has confirmed that there will be no disruption to fuel supplies to forecourts and wholesalers in the north east following the tragic explosion and fire at its Lindsey Oil Refinery near Immingham in North Lincolnshire on Tuesday in which a young man died. The company released a statement ...

  • News

    Shell shows smarter families can cut fuel bills by 27%

    2010-07-01T00:00:00Z

    The Shell Smarter Drivers experiment has revealed that fuel efficient driving and local journey planning allows annual average savings of £310 on family petrol bills. The experiment was launched by Shell to better understand how fuel savings can be made by real families undertaking everyday journeys. ...

  • News

    A place in the sun for car washes at Automechanika 2010

    2010-07-01T00:00:00Z

    The international service station and car wash sectors now have their own ’place in the sun’ in the new south-west outdoor area at this year’s Automechanika, described by the organisers as the world’s leading international trade fair for the automotive industry. Trade visitors to the German show, which opens in ...

  • News

    Results of this month’s online poll:

    2010-06-30T00:00:00Z

    How confident do you feel about the coalition government supporting your forecourt business? Very 23% Undecided 32% Not very confident 45% A fairly mixed bag: almost half of you don’t have much faith in the ConDems but a quarter feel the coalition could be beneficial to ...

  • News

    Retailer concern over hyper plans

    2010-06-30T00:00:00Z

    Jonathan James has urged the government to oppose more out-of-town supermarket forecourt deveopments. The former Forecourt Trader of the Year is concerned over plans to build a 25,000 square foot store with forecourt about 200 yards from his Slade End Service Station in Chatteris, Cambridgeshire. Fenland District Council ...

  • News

    UK prices cheapest in Europe

    2010-06-30T00:00:00Z

    As a result of the UK’s competitive road fuels retail market and efficient distribution facilities, the pretax price of major brand petrol in the UK has been consistently among the lowest in Europe, acccording to the latest Statistical Review from UKPIA, which represents nine member oil companies. However, ...

  • News

    Card fraud gang jailed for scam on forecourts

    2010-06-30T00:00:00Z

    Members of a card fraud gang have been sentenced to a total of 15 years for their involvement in a chip and PIN scam at petrol stations. The four men appeared at Southwark Crown Court after a series of card frauds that took place in the south of ...

  • VAT main worry over new Budget
    News

    VAT main worry over new Budget

    2010-06-30T00:00:00Z

    Retailers have given the Emergency Budget a resounding thumbs up, despite the painful fuel price hikes that are on the way. The main concern from the Chancellor’s announcement on June 22was the planned hike in VAT. Retailer Simon Hockings, who runs AUK Investments, which has six forecourts in the Lake ...

  • News

    Brulines buys create ’toolbox’ of services

    2010-06-30T00:00:00Z

    Brulines Group has agreed to acquire LBI Installations, subject to due diligence, in a deal expected to go through on July 16. Brulines will pay an initial £360,000 followed by performance-related deferred payments. Established in 2006, LBI operates web-based contract management solutions for forecourts. It has a contract with one ...

  • News

    in brief

    2010-06-30T00:00:00Z

    Appeals flood in More than 500 appeals have already been lodged by fuel retailers over the new Business Rates valuations with a warning that there are more to come. Brian Madderson, RMI Petrol chairman, stated in a letter to the Exchequer Secretary that ...

  • News

    Gulf boosts Welsh count

    2010-06-30T00:00:00Z

    Gulf’s recent signing of Washbourne Garage, Caldicot from Esso has further strengthened the brand’s presence in South Wales. Though the two million litre site is just a stone’s throw from Esso’s Avonmouth terminal, dealer Tim Washbourne believes he made the right decision in switching to Gulf. ...

  • News

    MPK Garages announces Londis deal for 28 sites

    2010-06-30T00:00:00Z

    MPK Garages has signed a three-year supply agreement with Londis to supply up to 28 of its forecourt sites starting in June 2010. Previously supplied by Palmer & Harvey, MPK said the sites would now be supplied by Londis in the first six months of the new trading agreement. ...

  • News

    Fuel set for £1.30 a litre

    2010-06-30T00:00:00Z

    Motorists will be looking at pump prices of 130ppl by the start of next year. RMI Petrol chairman Brian Madderson warned that while the Chancellor did not announce extra duty in the Emergency Budget, VAT rising to 20% would increase fuel prices. He added that the decision to keep two ...

  • News

    MPK partners with Londis

    2010-06-24T00:00:00Z

    MPK Garages has signed a three year supply agreement with Londis to supply up to 28 of its forecourt sites commencing June 2010. (MPK has over 40 sites and is number six in the Forecourt Trader Top 50 indies list.) Previously supplied by Palmer & Harvey, up to 28 ...

  • News

    Brulines buys LBI Installations

    2010-06-24T00:00:00Z

    Brulines Group has agreed to acquire LBI Installations, subject to due diligence, in a deal expected to go through on July 16. Brulines will pay an initial £360,000 followed by performance-related deferred payments. Established in 2006, LBI operates web-based contract management solutions for forecourts. It has a contract with one ...

  • News

    Energy Minister acknowledges critical role of downstream oil sector

    2010-06-24T00:00:00Z

    The UK oil industry, from offshore production to the downstream oil sector represented by UKPIA, plays a critical role in the life of the nation, comments Energy Minister Charles Hendry in the introduction to UKPIA’s 2010 Statistical Review, published today. He says it achieves this by delivering secure supplies of ...

  • News

    Card fraud gang sentenced to 15 years

    2010-06-24T00:00:00Z

    Members of a card fraud gang have been sentenced to a total of 15 years for their involvement in a chip and PIN scam at petrol stations. The four men appeared at Southwark Crown after a series of card frauds that took place in the south of England during 2009. ...