The Simply Fresh forecourt at Weare in Somerset hosted a filmed meeting between local Lib Dem MP Tessa Munt and Quentin Willson of FairFuelUK.

Simon Lunn, who runs the site together with his wife Sarah, said the proposal for the meeting came out of the blue.

He said: “Tessa is a regular customer and when she came in on Monday she said was having a meeting with Quentin Wilson about fuel duty and would it be okay to come here, and of course I said it would be fine.”

The meeting was filmed and Simon was invited to take part in the discussion to provide the retailer’s view

One of the main topics covered was issue of fuel duty, and its effect on people living in rural areas, and Simon said the MP understood the problems of people in her Wells constituency.

“In rural areas with little public transport, the car is essential in getting to work, going shopping or having a social life. The duty on fuel cripples most drivers, but more so in rural areas,” he said.

In addition to fuel duty Wilson also discussed the issues around LPG with the MP and Lisa Thomson, director of communications and external affairs at UKLPG.

Willson used to be an LPG user and the Lib Dem MP drives an LPG car and they discussed the lack of a government strategy to encourage take-up of LPG and the decline in sales.