Former Forecourt Trader of the Year Jonathan James is to exit petrol station operation as his company James Graven leases its final two forecourts to BP.

BP will take on Witchford Road Service Station in Ely and Wisbech Road Service Station in Littleport, Cambridgeshire at the end of the month, leaving Jonathan and wife Rebecca as landlords of four forecourts.

The deal follows their leasing of two sites in Chatteris to Petrogas in January. The Ely forecourt will be fitted out with a Wild Bean Café and M&S Simply Food offer.

Jonathan said he felt sad about the move after 12 years as a forecourt operator. "I’m really gutted because I enjoy the industry so from that point of view it’s devastating.

"But I have decided to free up some of my time to look at other avenues. I’m still chairman of the ACS and involved in industry stuff so while I won’t be a fuel operator, I won’t leave the industry completely far from it."