All Latest News articles – Page 437
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News
Drought fears eased
Water restrictions are unlikely to be implemented straight away should Thames Water have its drought order approved this month, the company’s environment director has said.Richard Aylard said the application had been made to ‘prepare for the worst’ and would only be used as a last resort: “We expect a decision ...
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Spar sets 600-site target
Symbol group Spar aims to boost its forecourt estate to 600 stores over the next two years, according to the company’s retail director Richard Bennett.The revelation follows last month’s announcement that four Spar wholesalers will supply 22 of Total’s largest sites, which were formerly supplied by Somerfield."We have really accelerated ...
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NewsGrocery branding beats the ’oil’ shops
Shoppers in grocery-branded forecourt stores - such as Budgens and Sainsbury’s Local - spend 75% more than in oil company-branded stores, according to shopper research specialist HIM in its latest Convenience Tracking Programme report. Director Tom Fender said: "Oil company shoppers spend £4.13 per trip while grocery forecourt ...
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NewsTax break hope as deadline looms
A drought-order deadline of August 9 looms for 140 retailers in the Thames Water area, who are hoping for a decision in their favour to avoid closure of their car-wash operations.Sutton and East Surrey Water has already banned machines without a water recycling system, while the Environment Agency is pressing ...
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News
In brief
Texaco Limited has changed its corporate name to Chevron Limited, in a move to present a more unified presence across the world. The company says the change will not affect its business operations in the UK. Texaco-branded service stations and fuel products and the Havoline lubricants brands will remain ...
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NewsGun crimewave hits garage forecourts
There has been a spate of gun crimes against forecourts in recent weeks. In the worst case, a cashier was shot in the face. The incident happened on July 27 at around 5pm, at the Star Lane BP garage in Hooley, Surrey.The cashier was said to have received a ...
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News
Waitrose rapped for ’short’ fuel
Waitrose has been fined £5,700 for selling short measure diesel to customers.The supermarket pleaded guilty to breaching the Weights and Measures Act at a hearing before magistrates. The discrepancy at the site in central Salisbury was discovered during a routine inspection by Trading Standards Officers, who also discovered an ...
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NewsPRA seeks OFT reaction to Shell
Shell’s cut-price fuel strategy in certain parts of the country has prompted the Petrol Retailer’s Association to write a letter of complaint to the Office of Fair Trading, pushing for a meeting to discuss the matter in depth.PRA director Ray Holloway believes that Shell is selling below-cost on some of ...
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News
Cadbury products back on shelves
Cadbury is re-supplying five of the chocolate products it recalled as a result of the recent salmonella scare and is spending an extra £7m on advertising starting this month. The company has said the contamination at one of its production plants will cost it around £20m this year.The recalled products ...
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News
Government considering carbon card scheme
All UK citizens could be given an annual carbon allowance stored as points on an electronic swipe card as part of a new scheme to tackle climate change. Unveiled this week by Environment Secretary David Miliband, the plan would see points deducted for every purchase of non-renewable energy, such as ...
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News
Spar to supply Total forecourts
Total UK has announced a new partnership with Spar to supply 22 of its large format forecourt stores. Conversions to the Spar fascia will begin in August and follow a successful three-store trial. This will bring the number of Spar forecourt sites up to 485.
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NewsShell trials pump attendant service
Shell is running a new pump attendant service on 20 UK sites as part of a three month trial. The attendants are available to fill up customers’ cars, wash windscreens and clean headlights for an discretionary charge of £1. If successful the scheme will be rolled out nationwide.Shell spokesman Nick ...
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News
‘Green’ is the colour at London Motor Show
The latest fuel-efficient and environmentally friendly vehicles have been on display at the British International Motor Show in London. Manufacturers are showcasing their advances in electric, hybrid, bio-fuel and diesel technologies. Cars on show include Ford Focus flexi-fuel models, which can run on either conventional or bio-fuel, and Saab’s ...
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News
Freeze on fuel duty rise
A planned increase in fuel duty has been put on hold by the government due to continuing volatility in oil prices.Junior Treasury Minister John Healey has told MPs that the situation will be reviewed again in the autumn pre-Budget report.Fuel duty has remained at 47.1p per litre since October 2003. ...
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NewsACS challenges water restrictions
Drought Orders could have a devastating impact on forecourt businesses unless there is some dispensation made for car washes, says the Association of Convenience Stores, which is arguing the case against Thames Water on behalf of retailers. The water company has applied for a Drought Order covering London and ...
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News
Crime costs rise - but it’s not all bad
Forecourt crime rose by 1.9% last year, according to the 2005 Forecourt Crime Statistics compiled by BOSS - the British Oil Security Syndicate campaigning to reduce crime on Britain’s forecourts.The estimated total losses suffered by the forecourt industry in the UK last year were £26.2m (compared to £25.7m in ...
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NewsBank helps couple live their dream
A couple from Stevenage are now running their own forecourt after securing six-figure funding from Bank of Scotland Corporate.Wendy Bamford had worked for a housing association while her husband James was a commercial car fitter when they both decided they wanted to run their own business. With the help of ...
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NewsCoryton for sale as BP targets bio fuels
BP is selling its last remaining UK oil refinery - Coryton, in Essex - so it can invest more in its other European refineries so they remain "top class assets".The refinery processes 172,000 barrels a day and BP chief executive John Manzoni described it as a "well-placed and profitable refinery ...
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News
In brief
Statoil has reached agreement on the terms of the sale of Statoil Ireland, its downstream Retail and Commercial & Industrial business, to Topaz, a financial consortium led by Ion Equity. Topaz is an established national forecourt retailer, based in Dublin, which acquired the Shell Ireland service station network in 2005. ...
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NewsCadbury confident over recall
Cadbury is confident the recall of seven of its products over a salmonella scare will have no long-lasting effect on sales.The products that are affected are 250g bars of Cadbury Dairy Milk Turkish, Caramel and Mint; CDM eight-chunk, CDM 1kg, CDM Buttons Easter egg and Cadbury Freddo.Cadbury has said retailers ...