It is with great sadness that we announce the recent death of Mike Garner of The Garner Group.
Mike – and his brother Tim – were well-known and well-loved throughout the forecourt industry.
Mike was an inspiration to many and he was always happy to share his knowledge and expertise. He took to the stage at the Birmingham NEC for The Forecourt Show on various occasions over the years to talk about his sites and he was also chairman of the PRA’s Technical Committee.
Phil Monger, technical director at the PRA says: “ To refer to Mike as a colleague, only touches the fringe of the friendship Mike gave to so many of us during the years of engagement in this industry.
“Mike devoted his time to industry matters and was among the first to volunteer his help in the many projects undertaken by the PRA. This meant giving time to attending meetings with government departments and carrying out trials on site to provide data in support of retailers’ claims. He was an excellent chairman of the PRA Technical Committee ensuring that all members had opportunity to participate and express concerns. Mike will be remembered by the petroleum industry as the kind gentleman that he was, leaving a legacy for us all to follow in his honour. He will be sorely missed by all.”
As referred to by Monger, Mike was one of the retailers who gave evidence to the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Fair Fuel in 2016 – a meeting which hoped to establish a better understanding of how fuel prices at the pump were calculated.
Mike was also a fan of technology and always keen to trial new equipment, such as epos, on site.
The Garner Group operated a number of forecourts over the years and together Mike and Tim won the Forecourt Trader of the Year Award for their Portsbridge site in 2014.
The brothers were praised by the judges at the time for their courage and ingenuity in taking a gamble on a small, awkwardly-shaped, outdated site and transforming it into something that really stood out from the crowd in terms of facilities and customer services
The success of Portsbridge gave Mike and his family the courage to look at other opportunities.
This led to the Garner Group’s knockdown rebuild of its Woolmer Service Station in Borden, Hampshire. The business had moved on to embrace its third generation of Garners with Tim’s son Andy and Mike’s daughter Dani being instrumental in the site’s regeneration. And it was Andy and Dani who were handed the Forecourt Trader of the Year Award for Woolmer in 2019, making their fathers very proud.
Gordon Balmer, executive director at the PRA, says: “I have known Mike for as long as I’ve worked for the PRA, now 11 years. I found him to be extremely kind, willing and helpful with a deep understanding of how our industry works. Nothing was too much trouble for Mike; he would always pick up the phone and provide exemplary advice on all matters relating to running a forecourt.
“A double winner of Forecourt Trader of the Year, his sites were always meticulously presented, well thought out and very customer friendly.
“He was chairman of our Technical Committee for nearly 15 years and a member of the PRAs’ executive committee. His wise counsel was instrumental in steering the PRA in the right direction making it the success it is today.
“I will miss our chats about our shared love of rugby and his passion for our industry. I would like to record a heartfelt thank you to Mike for all his help and advice to me and the PRA over the years. He will be sorely missed by his family, friends and colleagues.”
