Top 50 Indie Chartman Retail has acquired Lydford Service Station on the A37 Lydford-On-Fosse, Somerset, from by Devizes Marina Village Limited for an undisclosed sum.

West Country-based Chartman is ranked 40th in the Top 50 and the new acquisition takes it to a total of nine forecourts operated in Somerset, Devon and Cornwall.

Devizes Marina Village was advised by Adam Wadlow of Barber Wadlow, specialist fuel retail property advisers.

The sale was the culmination of seven years of work by father and son team, Allan and Tom Taylor, who acquired the closed petrol filling station in 2009 and undertook a redevelopment to accommodate Shell and Budgens with a shop of about 4,000sqft on a 0.5-acre site.

Tom Taylor commented: “We recognised the potential in the site and, with my father’s expertise in forecourt development, we have been able to create a thriving forecourt and retail business. As forecourts are not our core business, it was always our intention to sell at an appropriate time.

“We are delighted that Chartman Retail are acquiring the property and expect them to take the business to a new level with their considerable expertise in the sector.”

Chartman director Clive Sheppard commented: “This was too good an opportunity for us to turn down. Lydford Services is a high-quality addition to our network, and hats off to Allan and Tom for building such a thriving business. We look forward to working with the staff team there to maintain and develop the existing operation.”

Chartman is a member of Spar and the store has already been converted with a new fascia and branding.