Top 50 independent Bishop Retail is converting its network of forecourts from BP to Harvest Energy.

Northeast-based Bishop Retail group operations director Darren MacDonald said that while he expects fuel volumes to fall by 15-16% without the BP name on the pole sign, value sales are likely to stay the same with a more favourable Harvest Energy deal.

"We have a good relationship with BP but the deal they offered was not commercially viable for us,” said MacDonald. “We would have had to make a lot of extra money just to standstill."
As well as being able to make pump prices more competitive - 2-3ppl less - following the rebrand, MacDonald said communication channels are improved with a smaller fuel supplier.

"The transparency of the company is brilliant, and I can talk to the decisions makers," he said. “Harvest Energy really wants to work with the dealer network and we see it as a real partnership,"
Rebranding of the retailer’s nine sites will be completed by the end of September, and follows the group’s move to convert of all its forecourt shops under the Mace brand in the past 12 months.

The retailer has two sites in Darlington and two in Crook, plus sites in Sunderland; West Rainton; just off the A1 at Bradbury; New Coundon; and one just outside Durham.

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