Top independent Graham Peacock once again heads the Top 50 Indies listing - a countdown of the biggest independent fuel retailers. His companies, Malthurst (UK) Ltd and Refined Holdings (GB) - of which Pace Petroleum is a part - have become wholly-owned subsidiaries of holding company MRH (GB) Ltd. More details of the restructure and other information on the

biggest independent retailers in the UK can be found in the Top Indies 2008 supplement, which is published in this issue.

A Top Indies dinner is being held at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole on Monday, April 7, during the IFFE and CRS shows.

The companies in the listing account for 1,177 sites in the UK, and many have changed position in the past year. Some have fallen from the list after being bought out - these include QMP, which was acquired by the Co-operative Group, and Bond Hamill, which sold eight sites to GNE Group, parent company of Petrol Express.

Meanwhile, Spring Petroleum has sprinted up the list to make its debut in the Top 10 after taking over 13 COGOP sites. There are also seven new entries in the Top 50 list.

----

=== Top 50 at a glance ===

08 07 Company name

1 (1) MRH (GB)

2 (3) Park Garage Group

3 (4) Snax

4 (5) Motor Fuel Group

5 (6) Euro Garages

6 (8) Petrol Express

7 (7) MPK Garages

8 (9) Aleef Garages

9 (16) Spring Petroleum

10 (10) Hockenhull

11 (12) Brobot Petroleum

12 (11) Calanike

13 (15) HKS

14 (13) Alfred Jones

15 (17) Hills Incorporated

16 (18) Valli Forecourts

17 (40) Sewell Retail

18 (14) Cornwall Garage Group

19 (19) Manor Service Stations

20 (20) Carsley Group

21 (22) Roadside Group

22 (24) AY & Y Patel

23 (31) Kay Group

24 (30) George Hammond

25 (26) Rusdene Services

08 07 Company name

26 (25) Bargainsound

27 (-) F W Kerridge

28 (32) Chartman

29 (29) Bishops Comm

30 (28) Park Road Group

31 (23) State Oil

32 (34) WJ King

33 (36) Elite Garages

34 (43) Petromex

35 (41) Gardner Group

36 (44) Simon Smith

37 (45) Parks Motor Group

38 (-) Harry Tuffin

39 (46) David Taylor Garages

40 (-) Penny Petroleum

41 (-) Brookfield Group

42 (47) Maljee

43 (-) Petrocell

44 (38) Three Mile

45 (-) Sood Enterprises

46 (-) Shaws Petroleum

47 (49) Exelby Services

48 (50) Fraser Group

49 (42) Lawrence Group

50 (48) Core Service Station