The owners of Kent’s newest petrol station made sure they turned heads when a genuine Texas State Trooper cop car turned up to the official opening in Dover last month.

Dover and Deal MP Charlie Elphicke declared the site officially open and delivered his speech using the car’s on-board PA system to welcome VIP guests attending the opening of the Esso service station and Spar convenience store on the A2 at Whitfield. "This is one of the most unusual and fun ways in which I’ve ever made a speech," he said.

The development breathes new life into an old petrol station site which has stood derelict for 10 years. The substantial investment has created 12 jobs and the 1,600sq ft store has been welcomed as a real boost to the local community. Further investment is planned at the rear of the filling station, where the company also owns a former car washing business.

Both the service station and the Spar store are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The store has a 24-hour alcohol licence. The entrepreneurs behind the development are Viswanathan Srikrishna (pictured centre), who has 25 years’ experience in the industry and runs two other petrol stations, and Mr Rajamenon (right) and Mr Rajaseelan (left), who own several local businesses.