A Scottish petrol station is winning incremental fuel business after installing a new pay-at-pump pod, allowing drivers to fill up 24 hours a day even when the forecourt shop is closed.
Some 143 drivers have used Five Mile Garage’s pay-at-pump out-of-hours in its first 10 days of operation at the Aberdeen site on the A944. Although that may be a small proportion of the site’s 700 average daily transactions, the system’s £12,000 cost means its investment should reach maturity in a reasonable timeframe.
While he uses social media to promote his forecourt, owner George Gauld has so far not invested in roadside signs, as his plans for this were thwarted by the council wanting £25,000 to install signage.
Now he hopes the “generosity of local farmers” will allow him to display advertising boards in the corners of a couple of fields on the A90 Aberdeen Western Peripheral route, which is adjacent to his site.
Five Mile Garage is the only petrol station within 30 miles for motorists heading south on that major route.
Gauld says his is the first forecourt to install this iteration of the pay-at-pump pod, which is designed by technology firm HTEC, and is capable of operating multiple pumps.
“One pod activates the four pumps”, Gauld explains. “Customers use the pod first: they insert their card, activate the pump they’re at, remove their card and then draw their fuel”.
Teething difficulties with the system meant getting it activated was trickier than ideal, though: “We had it installed, but when they tried to activate it didn’t work,” Gauld says.
“We got the very first installation of a newly released pod though, so I think we were a bit of a guinea pig. To be fair to HTEC, we went live on March 1 and we haven’t had an issue with it.” The firm also offered Gauld an advantageous service agreement to make up for the delayed installation.
He says the pod it is a good solution to his site not having enough traffic to justify opening late, as it prevents him from missing out on passing trade without the need to employ late-night staff. The site reduced its opening hours when covid hit, and traffic has not bounced back to pre-lockdown levels.
“The families that live opposite the garage told us that the number of people drawn to the forecourt when it’s closed is surprising, so we were conscious we were losing trade”, says Gauld, who has owned the stie for 42 years.
He took over from his father, who bought the forecourt in 1962. “We’re probably the oldest continually running petrol station in Aberdeen. I don’t think there’s an older one”. He adds that next year will be the 75th anniversary for Five Mile Garage selling Esso fuel, which has been the only offering since the forecourt was built in 1951.
