Fast growing forecourt operator Muresh Seevaratnam has acquired Churn Valley Service Station, his 11th site, and his second purchased this year.
His latest acquisition, a Gulf forecourt with an unbranded shop, is at Colesbourne in the Cotswolds. It was previously owned by the Elwes family who have thousands of acres of land in the area as part of their Colesbourne Estate.
Amelia Elwes, who has run the forecourt for 20 years, wants to retire. She initially stepped in on a temporary basis to keep the community business alive, complete with a hand car wash leased to a local businessman.
Edgware-based Seevaratnam Muresh, who is a former accountant, already has sites in the area as well as in London, Oxfordshire, Hampshire, and Wales.
He burst onto the Top 50 Indies listing in February with 10 sites, and was one of the first forecourt operators to take Parfetts’ new Shop & Go fascia.
He has plans to develop the site and is planning to expand with further acquisitions in the south of England.
Property agent WT Estates’ managing director William Trott says that he received dozens of offers for Churn Valley Service Station from first time buyers to Top 50 Indies across the UK.
The family had been reluctant to sell, but say that the decision was right for the locals and the business itself.
“This was the first time I had sold a business and I was recommended to use William Trott of WT Estates by a number of individuals close to me and the business,” says Amelia Elwes. It was a really sensitive deal which took a lot of time to come to fruition, but I always felt in control thanks to William’s relaxed attitude and knowledge of the sector and the process,” she adds.
