Top 50 Indie Pearl Forecourts opened its 19th site last week, a new-to-industry forecourt at Bell Lane in Bury.
The 1.7-acre site represents a £4m investment from owner Hanif Mohmed and, although it has taken just eight months to build, the project has taken two years to develop due to planning regulations.
The Shell-branded site has a 3,500sq ft Spar store. There are also plans for a walk-in launderette service inside the shop which should open next month as well as a Greggs and a Paratha Stop India flatbread food-to-go franchise. Mohmed says the flatbreads are like a Greek gyro but with more spice and offer great value at £7.99 each.
There is parking for 40 vehicles and the site will have what Mohmed describes as a ‘proper valeting hub’ with three jet washes from Air-Serv and two air/vac stations, which are on site already, and a Washtec rollover car wash which is coming soon.
Bell Lane is particularly notable as it will be the company’s first site with EV charging. It will have eight fast chargers and two slower ones, which should be running from December.
Mohmed is particularly proud of the environmental components of the site, especially the 320 solar panels with battery storage and in intelligent operational system. He says this means that in the summer months, electricity can be collected during the day and then used at night when tariffs are cheaper and he expects to save a significant amount of money by doing this. There are also 49 trees across the plot and 400 plants.
The Bell Lane site, which employs 15 local people, will have an official opening once all the different extra elements are in place.
Pearl Forecourts opened its 18th site – Whetley Hill Service Station – earlier this year and Mohmed says they are still on course for a total of 25-30 ‘quality’ sites.
