The Hockenhulls are switching their award-winning The Stage site from Shell to BP next month, citing “greater enthusiasm” from the incoming fuel provider and a “marginally better” deal.
In what will be seen in the industry as a symbolic move, the father and son duo Peter and Joseph Hockenhull will go live with BP at the Leicester site from October 20.
This latest announcement will come as a blow to Shell which has recently lost a significant number of sites with MFG.
“I just felt it was time for a change and I’m enthused by the direction BP is heading,” says Peter Hockenhull. In particular, he is impressed by the BPme loyalty scheme, which gives customers money off their fuel, valeting and shop purchases at dealer as well as company-owned sites.
His business which owns six sites, including two leased out to a third party, has gone from operating three Shell sites to none in the past three months. This follows the sale of three sites – two of which were with Shell – to Park Garage Group in June 2025.
Managing director Joseph Hockenhull admits that it was a difficult decision to let go of the Shell V-Power high octane fuel, the well marketed brand which is popular with motoring enthusiasts and has been sold at The Stage since it opened as a new to industry filling station five years ago. But he adds: “BP fought for the site, and already we are seeing that as a company it is more accessible.”
The flagship filling station, known in the forecourt sector for its innovative tear drop-shaped canopy and for being a former winner of the prestigious Forecourt Trader of the Year award, currently has a volume of 4.5 million litres of fuel per year. It is a figure that the pair are confident will be maintained with BP’s premium Ultimate fuel having a key role to play.
Educating customers on the benefits of the BPme loyalty programme – in which participants can also convert points to Avios to purchase flights, or use points to purchase digital gift cards for Amazon – will also be important in maintaining custom, say the pair. And as an initial enticer BP is giving customers in the week prior to the launch of its brand at the site, £5 to spend on the app. Also BP will put a team in place to explain to customers its fuel and loyalty proposition, and also to train staff on what the brand offers too.
Peter Hockenhull says that he is excited about the future, working with BP in the five year contract. “We need champions in this sector. Oil companies are always saying dealers work in partnership with them. And BP make you feel important to them and as if we will be treated as true partners with them. We need petrol companies to care about the problems we have in running our businesses and to be champions for us.”
