Retailer Tom Highland has appeared on BBC Look East and on the BBC news website this week to explain how the fuel crisis was affecting his business.
He told reporters that most of his sites were running at a loss and some staff had been abused by customers who were unhappy with the fuel prices. He also told the BBC that the company had no choice but to pass some of the cost increase on to customers.
“For March, the company might just pay its bills, but I probably won’t make any money, and I can only stomach working for free for so long,” he said.
“Some sites have been absolutely hammered and what makes it even worse is when you see the government accusing us of profiteering from this crisis.
“I’m making just under 6ppl, which is 3ppl less than I actually need to cover my costs, so if anyone’s profiteering, it’s the government.”
Tom’s dad Steve Highland also put reporters right about suggestions that forecourts were storing up fuel ready for when prices increased even more.
“Our sites are busy, so it just doesn’t work like that, we want to try and keep the price down as much as we can,” he said.“I have been doing this for 40 years. This is the worst petrol crisis – I have never known anything like it.”
Speaking to Forecourt Trader Tom Highland says: “Staff aren’t getting as much abuse as they did earlier last month because the supermarkets’ two week lag has now caught up with our pricing.”
He said that while other countries had opted to cut fuel duty to help motorists, he was disappointed that Kier Starmer refuses to help us here in the UK.
