There are thousands of independent petrol stations across the UK but probably none more so than Rhydymwyn Service Station near Mold in North Wales.
Owned and operated by Gemma Newell and her partner Rob Standring, everything they do has the local community in mind – from the launch of The Coffee Shed during Covid to the latest refurbishment of the shop which will see a Post Office installed in the New Year.
“We’re not like 98% of petrol stations,” says Newell, “We’re independent and community led; we’re all about the customers.”
Rhydymwyn Service Station is known for its keen fuel prices. You won’t find mention of BP or Shell on the site, instead the canopy and pole sign sports the Rhydymwyn Service Station name, with Newell shopping around between fuel suppliers to get the best deal for her customers. “We’ve got competition from all the bigger names but we choose to keep our fuel prices competitive,” she says, adding that a fellow petrol retailer had thought she was foolish to keep her prices so low. “We still get a margin on the fuel. We don’t make a massive amount but the prices bring customers in.”
And those customers are in for a treat thanks to the products the shop stocks. Alongside the typical known brands you can find heaps of local and regional products. Mountain Produce salads and dressings and Goch & Co chilli sauces, jams and olive oils from Wrexham. Polly’s Brew Co hoppy beers from a farm in Mold and Black Mountain Honey, also from Mold.
It’s not often you see a forecourt with a stand at an agricultural show, but Rhydymwyn Service Station took space at the recent Denbigh Flint County Show to highlight its business and all these local products. Newell says it was really fantastic to be part of the Show for the first time. “We were beaming with pride after the Show because of all the positive feedback from customers on what we do and how far we have come as a business over the last 12 years. It was also a delight to showcase some incredible local products, that so many didn’t even realise we sold.”
After a lot of requests for Thai meals and other frozen meal options, the shop is currently trialling the FieldGoods frozen range. Newell says these are not your standard frozen ready meals instead they are packed with high quality meat. “These are a tester for us to see whether people would like more of this type of stuff when we complete the shop extension,” she explains.
The business also offers breakfast hampers for tourists staying in the area. “Start your stay the right way – with a basket of locally sourced goodness, packed with love and care,” says the Facebook post about the hampers.
Rhydymwyn Service Station also serves up Mug Run coffee from Rhyl. This is now offered inside the bigger shop but before that the hot drinks could be found in the Coffee Shed, which was set up as a safe outdoor space for people to meet during Covid. People could grab a local coffee and sit outside for quick catch-ups.
“The decking outside the Coffee Shed had become very slippery and needed replacing so we decided to bring the coffee inside the shop and repurpose the Coffee Shed space,” says Newell. “We are replacing the decking with concrete and putting in seats covered by a pergola. We have a pizza truck that stops here so people will be able to sit and wait for their pizzas or eat them here if they like. We are also looking into having a Steak & Frites truck and have a lady who might do a Paella Night for us. In between we will use the space for Christmas trees and wreaths.”
There will also be a new door from the seating area into the shop, to help reduce shop congestion and improve public safety, with fewer people on the forecourt.
The rest of the extra shop space is being utilised for “more of everything” according to Newell, from fresh meat to fresh sourdough bread.
While Newell busies herself looking after the shop, her partner Rob runs the car servicing and MOT side of the business where he specialises in looking after Land Rovers. There has been expansion there too, with the addition of four new vehicle bays. The site is also home to a van hire business.
Newell says they get offers from time to time from companies keen to take over the site and rebrand it but they are just not interested. “We’re not a traditional petrol station and we’re proud of that,” she says defiantly!
