A great-grandmother who has been serving petrol since it was just 32ppl has celebrated 45 years at Gulf Ivy Garage in Burton-on-Trent.
Dot Ryan is the longest-serving member of staff at the forecourt and shop on Rykneld Street in Alrewas. She joined the team as maternity cover in 1980 – and 45 years later has no plans of stopping. She serves on the till three days a week and attributes her staying power to her youthful spirit.
“I just love the job,” Ryan explains. “It keeps your mind sharp talking to all sorts of people all day, and I always stand at the till for the full shift, so it keeps me active.”
In her four decades of service, Ryan has seen lots of changes in the garage and the village too.
“It is a busy garage. I get to chat to everyone and find out all the news and gossip. And now, with the new-build estate, we have got lots of young families moving here.”
Today’s technology does a lot of the heavy lifting on the forecourt, but Ryan remembers the old days fondly. She says: “When I came to work at the forecourt, we had a big showroom, a workshop and a parts department.
“Back in the ‘80s, we served out of a kiosk with a cashbox. We did not even have a till. You could get petrol or oil in a can. We had one diesel pump with two hoses, and the old two-star, three-star and four-star petrol. It was 32ppl back then!
“We had lots of accounts with local businesses, which you’d have to hand write and sign for and sort the cheques.
“I remember when we used to go out and do the tanker. The tanker driver would get on top of the tanker and pull the measure out to wipe it and let you see. There have been lots of health and safety changes since then thankfully.”
She continues: “I do not think I am doing anything special. My generation is old school. We have a good work ethic.”
Gulf Ivy Garage is family owned by J T Leavesley Ltd. Gill Purkiss, store manager at Gulf Ivy Garage, says: “Everybody knows Dot! I have worked with her since 2012. She helped me learn the ropes and she knows the site like the back of her hand. She never changes. She always has a smile on her face – it does not matter what is going on at the counter or forecourt. She is just brilliant. I wish more people were like Dot!”
Jenny Lockwood, head of retail dealer sat Certas Energy, says: “This is an exceptional milestone. Dot’s enthusiasm and work ethic is incredibly impressive. It’s thanks to the dedication of people like Dot that keep Gulf’s network of independent sites running smoothly. And for that, we’re hugely grateful. Thank you for your years of service, Dot!”
