Grove Retail remains committed to expanding in Scotland despite a media storm around its decision to stop supplying three local charities with free fuel.
The Top 50 Indie decided to end the arrangements he inherited after buying the St Michaels portfolio of four filling stations at Dumfries, Moffatt, St John’s Town of Dalry, and Wigtown in January.
The move prompted a flurry of press coverage with members of the public taking to social media to criticise the business.
However, the relationships, which had been in place for years, amounted to thousands of pounds a year, and were also difficult to monitor remotely from London, says managing director Chelvatheebam Chelvam.
“I’ve nothing against the charities,” says Chelvam. “More than anything I wanted to put a security system in place… we didn’t even know who was taking the fuel.”
“Also, the constant increase in prices, where we are already selling fuel at a very low margin, or at a loss is part of the reason.”
Now, instead he is looking at ways to support schools, primarily in Dumfries and Galloway.
Chelvam says he has been “upset” by the level of criticism fired at him.
But he still feels an affinity with Scotland – with 30 of his 33 petrol stations there and several more in the pipeline.
“I was the first pioneer to go to Scotland to buy sites 20 years ago. I’m not put off at all. I like Scotland where most people are lovely, and I have other investments and lots of opportunity,” he says.
