Harry Tuffins managing director Paul Delves said he had “mixed emotions” about leaving the business next Monday following the sale of the Top 50 Indie group to Midcounties Co-op.

The Delves family agreed to sell its 10 businesses in Powys, Flintshire, Shropshire and Gloucestershire at the start of last month. The network includes eight petrol stations plus one forecourt in Malpas, which is currently non-operational, but has planning for redevelopment to bring back into petrol retailing use. All 450 staff will remain with the new owners.

Paul told Forecourt Trader: “Monday is my last day; it’s been a bit emotional. The money is one thing but the business has been a big part of all my family’s lives, especially me, my Dad and my Mum. We’d not been thinking about selling but the business was strong and expanding and that got us noticed. Midcounties Co-op made us a good offer to sell out.

“I’m sorry to see our relationships with Nisa and Texaco end and I suspect I will miss the business but perhaps I won’t leave it permanently – I’ll see how I get on. I will keep a close eye on everything but I won’t think about retail for a little while.”

Paul will now focus on running the family’s mineral water bottling company – the Montgomeryshire Natural Spring Water Company – along with their various property interests.

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