Six leading industry figures – Zuber Issa, Gordon Balmer, David Charman, Tom Buckley, Tom Highland, and Oliver Blake – share their aspirations for their businesses in 2025, and what they think the year ahead has in store for the industry in general.
Zuber Issa, chief executive of EG On The Move, the 47-strong and growing forecourt network
Next year’s ride for EG On The Move promises to be even more exhilarating than this one. It may get a little bumpy at times, but it will be absolutely worth the journey for everyone associated with the business.
In 2024, EG On The Move celebrated some major milestones – from setting up the brand and completing the separation from the EG Group, to opening 14 new-to-industry sites across the UK, to expanding our fast-charging EV network with up to 180 ports now available for customer use. I am also proud to celebrate our new brand partnership with Popeyes – not only are we fuelling vehicles, we are also fuelling our customers.
Next year, we are going to further invest in more new locations, doubling down on installing fast EV charging and even offer a revenue share model opportunity to other site operators as we all embrace the energy transition.
More importantly, we will be looking to grow our existing site network by exploring acquisitions so we can serve even more communities. Our goal is to ensure that every location becomes more than just a fuelling or charging stop – we invest in a retail destination.
Whether that means access to great coffee and/or food, fresh groceries, picking up or dropping off a parcel, using the car wash, or even a quick snack to fuel the rest of the trip, we are committed to delivering an expansive customer offer.
Let us all keep driving forward and here’s to another incredible year on the move!
Gordon Balmer, executive director of the Petrol Retailers Association (PRA) and the Car Wash Association (CWA)
Next year will see the effects of the Chancellor’s autumn budget start to bite, with increasing costs impacting retailers. Actions to counter this could include a slowdown on recruitment, some job losses, and initiatives to automate such as self-scanning tills or adapting some sites to become unmanned forecourts.
There will also be increased government scrutiny of our sector with the introduction of the “Market Monitor” and “Fuel Finder” schemes. The PRA has a direct line into the Competition and Markets Authority and the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, and will be representing members to ensure sensible and fair analysis takes place.
In terms of net zero, following pressure from the car industry, we may see some softening of the government’s plans to roll out electric vehicles especially in relation to the Zero Emission Vehicle mandate and the continued sale of hybrids after 2030.
Concerning the Car Wash Association, we continue to lobby the government to introduce a national licensing scheme for car washing businesses. This we hope will drive out the cowboy operators who flout the law, don’t pay tax and in some cases employ slave labour. Such practices have no place in modern society. We will also continue to see new investment in this sector especially into self-serve jet washing facilities.
With all these challenges, it is vital that all fuel retailers and compliant car wash operators support our not-for-profit trade associations as we continue to represent your interests in these dynamic times.
David Charman, managing director of Parkfoot Garage in West Malling, Kent:
2025 is nearly upon us and it will probably be as unpredictable as this year. In business, it is easy to think that every government has you in their sights for more taxes and increased governance.
Another year of zero growth in our fuels business is perhaps to be expected, but highlights the need for an increase in margin to stand still with all these additional costs. I do hope the breakdown companies stick to their own business in 2025 and onwards, as they clearly don’t understand ours!
Car washing has seen a welcome return to growth this year with new investments offering a great alternative to the hand car wash. This will undoubtedly continue into next year and is a real positive for the sector.
Employing additional staff in 2025 will be a very considered move compared to previous years, but investment is definitely a must for anyone wanting to drive their business forward.
Parkfoot will be launching its own food range in 2025, branded Parkfoot Eats. This will be available fresh, cooked and, towards the latter part of the year, delivered too. It’s probably the most exciting project we have ever embarked upon.
The industry has some amazing characters and clever individuals, and I predict another exciting year of shop developments and success stories, for us all to try to interpret.
Tom Buckley, general manager of the Sussex-based Pricewatch Group of eight forecourts:
As we approach 2025 I’m increasingly worried about rising labour costs. The new government has placed considerable pressure on small businesses like ours. However, if there is strong enforcement against retail crime, I would feel more hopeful.
This year has been particularly challenging in terms of crime, so I am optimistic about seeing improvements in this area, including greater police engagement and a more proactive approach to addressing these issues.
I plan to find a new site next year, as we look to increase the number of locations under the Tap Retail side of the business. Also, I am hoping for some increased fuel margins, and shop prices to fall. One of those is doable, the other two are pipe dreams, you can work out which is which!
2024 has been a great year for me personally though, so I hope to push on in 2025, grow the business and its profitability and streamline my workload so I don’t find myself on the phone seven days a week.
Tom Highland, managing director of four-strong forecourt operator Highland Group:
During 2025, a lot of people will want to crack on in the industry and grow, with us definitely being among them. We will see sites close that are selling too many litres of fuel and not enough from the shop which is not sustainable.
Operators will develop sites that have good fuel volumes and the room to offer electric vehicle (EV) charging, valeting and a decent size shop and food to go. At our flagship site Childerley Gate Services we make two-thirds of our money from the shop.
People will continue investing and the classic forecourt of 10 to 15 years ago will probably disappear, be rebuilt or revamped into a more modern facility.
EV charging is a weird one. Although we are planning to introduce four 400kW EV chargepoints at Childerley Gate Services I would generally much rather be investing in four other areas and getting a much quicker return: These are: the shop, valeting, relining of tanks to get another 10 to 15 years out of this equipment and taking us to the point that we could be seeing an end to fuel, and energy saving technology, such as solar panels and efficient lighting.
You have to ask yourself if you have a certain amount of money do you want to get that money back in 10 years with EV, or three years for valeting.
Oliver Blake, managing director of Oasis Services in Long Riston, Hull
I honestly think we are in for a tough few years ahead. With everything the government is doing and has done. People are becoming more and more price conscious in store and at the pump. We need to drive value and show we are the destination to visit.
I would predict EV is going to continue on its forward trajectory with more people buying into it and we are planning to install two 350kW chargers next year. We also expect customers will become more focused on food to go at forecourts. With this in mind in January we are switching from Costa coffee to James Hall’s Cheeky Coffee brand.
It is important to keep investing in our one-site family business, and we have bought the coffee machine. This means the margins will be almost double what we are achieving now, so we will be able to run strong meal deals such as a coffee and cake, for example.
Once we have sorted this, we will undergo a further store expansion in the early part of 2025, with a strong focus on expanding our frozen range. We are pumped for the new year when we will have a major announcement the business which has been in our family for 40 years.