Top 50 Indie Carsley Group is celebrating the completion of one of the most striking filling stations in the UK, a year and a half after it was first mooted.

In September 2012 Mark Carsley, managing director of the Carsley Group, met the team who were going to design and build the redevelopment of Wyboston Filling Station on the southbound carriageway of the A1 in Bedfordshire, and told them he wanted a petrol station design that would literally ‘turn heads’.

Involved in the scheme from the outset was Robert Onion of Circle Brands, who was responsible for the conceptual design. Mark Carsley challenged Circle to create a canopy design with stopping power. Grabbing motorists’ attention at the roadside was seen as important in driving sales. Creating visibility and a canopy design to be remembered was key to the design brief.

Reflecting on the completed project, Robert Onion said: “We are delighted with the stunning results of the brief and our design concept which challenges the conventional ‘flat canopy’ profile that often gets lost in its surroundings. Our design, where the height is modulated like a mini mountain range, has caused quite a stir, and customers cannot fail to notice it from the roadside.”

Utilising its in-house team of structural engineers, draftsmen and fabricators, Global-MSI took Circle’s conceptual design and turned it into a bespoke structural design model for both retail and HGV canopies. MSI managing director Martin Steggles said: ‘’Global-MSI is delighted to have recently completed the installation of two iconic forecourt canopies for the Carsley Group at Wyboston. The forecourt canopies at Wyboston really do stand out as being radically different to the standard. While the canopy materials used did not vary greatly from conventional ‘flat top’ canopies, the three-island HGV canopy and the separate three-island retail canopy have steeply-inclined roof falls, such that the canopy profiles appear to be forming the letter-W when viewed by passing traffic.”

Kevin Porter, managing director of the forecourt contractor responsible for delivering the overall project, stated: ‘’As main contractor Broham Forecourt Developments were delighted to be given the task of delivering this innovative petrol filling station development. The canopy structures, along with the lighting scheme, certainly give this development a key and individual identity. It makes a refreshing change to be involved in the construction and delivery of a new site with a bespoke feature such as Wyboston working alongside specialist canopy supplier Global-MSI.’’

Mark Carsley said: “We are delighted with the finished design - the shape of the canopy is especially effective at night time, and has certainly caused a lot of interest. The mix of services on our Wyboston site, combined with the eye catching forecourt design, is really helping to get us noticed and sales are already well ahead of forecast.”

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