Harvest Energy has signed up three Jet-branded forecourts owned by Scotsure Limited. The sites, Grange Filling Station, Rayleigh in Essex; and London sites Cricklewood Broadway Service Station and Goldhawk Road Service Station, will be rebranded over the next couple of months.

As the Government's consultation on proposals to reduce smoking begins, do you believe a ban on the display of tobacco products will have a negative effect on your business?

Fuel card company Arval has agreed to review its charges, following uproar by retailers in the wake of soaring fuel prices. In a statement issued to Forecourt Trader, Arval said it was talking to retailers about making changes to its current system. Danny Clenaghan, Arval card development director, stated: "We are sensitive to the present

Four out of five forecourts in Scotland are in danger of losing their alcohol licences under new legislation. And the ramifications could spread to the rest of the country, retailers have been warned by licensing practitioner Chris Mitchener.

Soaring fuel costs have led to a new class of 'bilkers' in one East Midlands city. Forecourts in Leicester are reporting a growing number of people wearing hooded jackets going to the pumps, quickly filling jerry cans with petrol, and running off. And outlets in

ExxonMobil Corp is quitting the retail fuel market in the US, and sticking to wholesale operations. The company said the exit from its direct served - dealer and company operated - business would "include the conversion of a majority of markets to branded distributor to build on the strength of its current distributor network." The change will take place over a few years. An Esso spokesman in the UK said: "It's important to note that this is not a market exit.

Concerns over handling biofuels on the forecourt were the hot topic at last month's Esso Dealer Forum, which was themed 'In Good Company'. The two-day event, held at The Belfry hotel in the West Midlands last month, included a series of seminars on topical issues, with the biofuels seminar proving extremely popular with retailers. Issues raised included how retailers should prepare their site for a delivery of the new controversial 'eco' fuels.

Manor Service Stations, number 19 in the Forecourt Trader Top 50 Indies 2008 listing, has won the contract to run the two service stations at Manchester Airport. The two sites, at Terminals One and Two, will be run by the Macclesfield-based business for 10

Hauliers angry at the rising cost of fuel have descended on two oil refineries in west Wales. About 65 lorries were reported to be outside Chevron in Pembroke Dock and Murco in Milford Haven, with protesters asking drivers not to leave the sites. Those involved in the demo, organised to pressure the government into reducing fuel tax, are also reported to be

Talks were taking place today aimed at resolving the fuel tanker drivers’ dispute - as UK retailers introduced fuel rationing. Representatives from the two haulage companies involved were reported to have met with officials from the Unite union at a secret location in a bid to end the industrial

Retailers need to be more worried about government red tape strangling their business than about a Tesco opening down the road. That was the message from the Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) Forecourt Seminar 2008 last week.Those at the event in Reading heard how future

The MD of Top Indie Euro Garages has been named Ernst & Young’s Young Entrepreneur Of The Year (Northern Region). Judges at last week’s ceremony highlighted how Zuber Issa had built Blackburn-based Euro Garages from scratch, doubling the business over the last three years.

Esso has reassured its retailers that it has “contingency plans” in place if the threatened strike by Shell drivers goes ahead this week. Karen Dickens, Esso’s executive director, fuels marketing UK & Ireland, said she hoped drivers would work through the industrial action to maintain

Irish-owned independent fuel supplier GreatGas has signed six forecourts to its network. The deals, which GreatGas said were worth more than 15m euros, or £11.9m, means 50 forecourts in Ireland are now supplied by the company. The six new

Welsh forecourt Derwydd Garage has been sold by retailer Henry Jones, who owned the business for 42 years. The site, which is situated on the A484 about seven miles north of Carmarthen, had an asking price of £895,000. The new owner is Graham Perfect, who bought the property through

The Scottish government has outlined proposals to ban displaying tobacco products in shops in its Measures in the Smoking Prevention Action Plan document. According to the Tobacco Alliance, retailers say the plan threatens the livelihood of hundreds of small shops.

As fuel prices soar, do your customers accuse you, the retailer, of profiteering?

As soaring fuel prices start to slowly change people's driving and buying habits, the European Petroleum Industry Association (EUROPIA) has launched a campaign to advise motorists on how to drive more efficiently. The Save More Than Fuel campaign is being run in conjunction with

Independent retailers will have received their copy of the annual Forecourt Trader Business Directory free with this issue.

A Yorkshire retailer is probably the cheapest forecourt in the country for selling biodiesel at 94.9p a litre. ID Oils, near York, has just one pump and has been selling the fuel made from old cooking oil for 20 years. Word is spreading and the site has been swamped with drivers, and the owners say

BP has launched the first small-format version of its Wild Bean Café (WBC) to the UK. The specially tailored version of BP's successful food-to-go offer, which includes hot and cold drinks and snacks as well as pastries and cakes, opened at Boongate Service Station in Peterborough on May 7.

A forecourt store in Devon has become the first in the county to open a franchised 'Love the Flavour' branded 'shop in a shop' for Food & Drink Devon.

A multi-million pound package of investment in supply chain improvements was announced by Musgrave Retail Partners at the group's annual retailer conference in London last month. The event celebrated "new beginnings" and a "major milestone in the history of the brand" and included sessions to help Budgens retailers improve their operations, develop their businesses and grow their profits.

Hundreds of truckers from around the UK are heading to London today in the second protest against soaring fuel prices. The lorry drivers are demanding an “essential user” duty rebate for HGV drivers. Heavy congestion was expected on roads leading into central London as the truckers, who claim it now costs £1,000 a week to fill up their lorries, leave their vehicles to

The European Petroleum Industry Association (EUROPIA) is launching a campaign with the European Commission to encourage consumers to “Save More Than Fuel” by making small adjustments to their driving habits. The campaign will be run across 29 countries and is being backed by 40 oil companies in Europe, including BP, Chevron, Esso, Shell and Total. More than

The Co-operative Group is converting 45 of its petrol station sites in the UK to BP. The major deal, which follows a year of negotiations, will also see the Co-operative Retail Trading Group re-sign 40 other sites with BP’s dealer network for a further five years. Peter Molloy, BP’s UK Fuel Operations Manager, said: “BP is delighted to have agreed a deal with the Co-operative Retail Trading Group.

The Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) has welcomed the call for an MP debate on the future of supermarkets. Conservative MP Mark Field called for the Westminster Hall debate following criticism of the Competition Commission’s final report and recommendations on the grocery market. He and other MPs have said that more should be done to create a level playing field between supermarkets and

The message at this month's Budgens retailer conference was that the key to success lay in delivering brand basics and building a culture of customer service. Retailers were joined by management from Musgrave for the event in London on May 8, which the company said was packed with sessions to help retailers improve their operations, develop their businesses and grow profits. In her first year as chair of the Budgens national retailer council,

Forecourt criminals across the Bradford District are to be targeted by a new joint initiative between West Yorkshire Police, Crimestoppers and British Oil Security Syndicate (BOSS), whose members are Esso, BP, Shell, Texaco, Total and members of the Petrol Retailers Association. 'Name, Shame and Claim' aims to reduce crime

Petrogas is planning to expand its operations in the UK and buy at least 100 petrol stations over the next five years. The company, which operates the Applegreen chain of forecourts and currently has about 50 sites in Ireland, is actively looking for potential sites, and expects the UK to play a vital role its growth.

GNE Group has seen full-year profits jump by 93% to just over £1 million after margins in both shops and fuel improved. The company, which owns Top Indies retailer Petrol Express, said margins had also increased due to improvements in quality at its sites. GNE bought 10 new petrol stations in 2007, giving it 63 sites currently trading.

Lorry drivers are planning to hold another fuel price protest in London at the end of this month. TransAction 2007, the group behind the recent protest in the capital, has told truckers the next one will be on Park Lane on May 27th. On its website, Transaction 2007 states: “Next month on

he confectionery market, valued at £4.7 billion, is back in growth for the first time in two years, according to the 2008 Mars Confectionery Report. The total market grew by 5.2% year-on-year in 2007, and now accounts for 72% of the £6.5 billion Sweet Snacks market.

Are you going to write to your MP about the CWCG's EDM?

BP's dealer network has reacted angrily after the oil giant cut fuel margins - and announced record profits in the same week. BP contacted dealers on March 31 to say it was increasing its grade premia charges on fuel. It listed many factors for the rise, implemented on May 1, including rising prices for crude oil and utilities and the recent Grangemouth strike. It added:

Truckers may be planning further action to follow the protest staged in London against the soaring price of diesel fuel. Lorry drivers travelled from as far as Cornwall and mid-Wales for last month's rally, which included a delegation handing a coffin in at the Houses of Parliament to symbolise the demise of the haulage industry. The protest, organised by Transaction 2007,

Community, environment and innovation were the three key themes at last month's Summit, the annual conference organised by the Association of Convenience Stores (ACS). Chaired by TV presenter John Stapleton, the Summit attracted its biggest audience ever with 400 delegates, including some of the industry's key players,

Retailers face having to pay thousands of pounds for a system they cannot use after Big Media Group Ltd went into voluntary liquidation. The in-store marketing and media service company has debts of £672,000, while its assets are understood to be about £16,000. The Milford Haven-based

Palmer & Harvey, the UK's largest wholesale distributor, is relaunching its symbol offer with a greater range of benefits and incentives designed to add more value for both existing and potential new members. Revealing the news at the company's annual Pro-Retail Exhibition at the International

The Competition Commission’s final report into the UK grocery market has been slammed for failing to tackle the “Tesco Town” effect. In the report, which marks the

Lorry drivers from all over the UK are staging a protest in London today against spiralling diesel costs. The protest began in Kent and was due to end with a Park Lane rally, with dozens of vehicles expected to join the event. A delegation from the protest is expected to hand in a symbolic coffin to the Houses of Parliament,

Fuel availability for motorists outside Scotland will not be affected by the potential shutdown at the Grangemouth refinery, according to Ray Holloway, director of the Petrol Retailers Association. "If the shutdown does occur, the affect on supply in Scotland will be limited due to the sheer volume of fuel already in the supply

Big Media Group Ltd, the Milford Haven-based in-store marketing and media service, has gone into voluntary liquidation with debts of £672K. Creditors include many petrol retailing operations – there were screens on 230 sites – the majority of which are owed an average of £2,000. The David Taylor Group, however, which has

Scotland’s First Minister has waded into the Grangemouth refinery row by pleading with the two sides to get back to the negotiating table. Staff are due to strike at the Scottish refinery next week, and owners INEOS have started shutting down the site in preparation for the industrial action. The resulting fear of fuel shortages is causing many motorists

Bosses at Scotland’s Grangemouth refinery started a shutdown of the site at the weekend due to the threat strike action by staff – triggering a spate of panic buying at the pumps. Grangemouth owner INEOS said the site – Scotland’s only crude oil refinery – could be forced to close for a month, and warned of major fuel shortages. INEOS said

The government has implemented the Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation (RTFO) amid increasing calls from campaigners for it to be scrapped – with some even labelling today "April Biofools Day". The RTFO means that, from today, fuel suppliers must ensure that all fuel sold on UK forecourts contains at least 2.5%

Dealers will continue to grow in size, and Esso is keen to work with them to ensure “we are all here to stay”, stressed Karen Dickens, Esso’s executive director, fuels marketing UK & Ireland, in her opening address at the Top Indies dinner in Birmingham last night. She told the elite gathering - which included representatives from the biggest independent petrol

The Car Wash Campaign Group (CWCG) used the International Forecourt and Fuel Equipment (IFFE) show to hold its first open meeting and recruit new members. The event, chaired by Forecourt Trader editor Merril Boulton, saw a panel of three representatives from the group - retailer Robert Fraser, ACS public affairs manager Shane Brennan, and Wilcomatic MD Kevin

Investcorp has sold Welcome Break to Appia Investments, an infrastructure investor consortium. Details of the transaction concerning the motorway services operator, which has 27 sites in the UK – 24 on motorways, were not revealed, but the deal is reported to be worth about £500m. The consortium is led by Dutch bank NIBC, and also includes global financial services organisation ING Group and Challenger Life, an investment fund run by Australian

More than 100 forecourts closed in the UK last year – while an extra 46 supermarket forecourt sites opened, according to the Energy Institute (EI). Figures from EI’s latest UK Retail Marketing Survey showed that the number of petrol stations in the UK declined by 111 in 2007, although the rate of closures actually slowed – the figure compared with 382 closures in 2006 and 587 in 2005.

Shell is looking to actively recruit new retailers in a bid to grow its dealer network in 2008. Nick Adams, UK retail manager at Shell, said the oil giant was looking to get more “pro-active” in its approach. He said: “We’re very keen on expand our dealer business. “We’ve been growing it for the last two years, it was fairly stable but now it’s growing significantly. We are very keen to hear from dealers and we want to get extra dealers on board, the message is:

Forecourt network specialist Catalist has decided to change its name to Experian Catalist following its acquisition by the information, analytical and marketing services company Experian last year. For more details on the changes, as well as the company's new logo, visit http://www.catalist.com

Do you feel that the government has rushed through the introduction of biofuels with the RTFO?

Members of the Car Wash Campaign Group (CWCG) are urging retailers to learn more about how to stamp out unregulated car washes by attending an open meeting being held at this month's International Forecourt & Fuel Equipment (IFFE) show. The event has been organised to raise awareness of

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

Twelve members of two gangs involved in garage credit card scams have been jailed for a total of more than 50 years.

Cleaning equipment company Karcher has reinforced its commitment to the UK car wash market by buying Atlantis International. Karcher UK managing director Simon Keeping commented:

Government proposals to ban the open display of cigarettes in shops would lead to "considerable operational and equipment costs" according to the Association of Convenience Stores (ACS).

Have you got what it takes to be the Forecourt Trader of the Year 2008? If you're running a successful forecourt site it could be you but, as they say, you've got to be in it to win it so make sure you enter today. All you need to do is fill in a form and send in some photographs. There are lots of different forecourt categories, from rural to main route, and oil company owned to

The government came under increasing pressure regarding biofuels this week after the UK’s chief environment scientist called for a delay in policy. Professor Robert Watson said ministers should wait for the results of an inquiry the government has commissioned into the sustainability of biofuels before implementing the Renewable Transport Fuel

The chancellor has made a “sensible choice” by postponing the 2p increase in fuel tax, according to the Petrol Retailers’ Association (PRA). PRA director Ray Holloway welcomed Alistair Darling’s announcement that the increase would not be introduced next month, but warned the move was only really pushing the problem back until October 1.

Sign maintenance company Xmo Strata has been working with global engineering company ABB to create a safer means of valeting fuel forecourts. In accordance with the Working at Height Regulations 2005, the two companies have managed to minimise the need for working above ground level during a complex nationwide cleaning programme on 88 Esso 'On the Run' sites.

Following the recent Early Day Motion, do you think MPs should have the right to force petrol retailers to drop their fuel prices?

Environmental campaigners have called on the government to cancel plans to introduce biofuels at the petrol pumps next month over fears they may actually cause more pollution than than fossil fuels. The RSPB has urged members of the public to email Secretary of State for Transport Ruth Kelly to ask her to supsend the introduction of the Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation (RTFO) - due on April 15 - which will

Car washes will be a key part of the International Forecourt & Fuel Equipment Show (IFFE) as it will be the venue for an open meeting of the Car Wash Campaign Group, which will take place on the Monday morning of the show (April 7). The Group's aim is to represent the interests of responsible car wash sites and campaign

The Federation of Petroleum Suppliers' Forecourt Division has been encouraged by the initial replies to its letter urging 52 MPs to reconsider their Early Day Motion, which called for retailers to match the recent decline in oil prices by reducing the price of their fuel. A spokesman for the FPS, which asked MPs to consider the negative impact

Two independent retailers have switched to the Gulf brand in Cumbria, saying they have been attracted by the company's understanding of local markets. PV Dobson & Sons in Levens and Rayrigg Motors in Windermere are the latest sites to join the Gulf fraternity in the Cumbrian region,

A forecourt scooped the top prize at the Londis Store of the Year awards. Blair Girvan's c-store in Aberfeldy, Perthshire won the 'best forecourt store' category then went on to take the awards' top accolade. Blair, who has run the shop in Dunkeld Street for five years, received his award at a prestigious ceremony at the Harrogate International Centre.

A Wiltshire retailer has scooped more than £7,000 after being named the best TOTAL retailer in Europe. The TOTAL Melksham site beat 6,600 other sites in the oil company’s European network to win TOTAL’s Best European Retailer Award. TOTAL bosses are planning to present the cheque for 10,000 euros, or £7,552. to employees at the 24-hour site next week. The retailer was one of six finalists in the UK round of the competition, and went on to be one of the seven other TOTAL forecourt finalists from across Europe. The sites were judged on their customer service and store standards. The award ceremony took place at the Automobile Club De France in Paris last month, and was attended by store manager, Carol Trott. Carol, 47, said: “It’s such an honour

Topaz Energy Ltd has announced a €50 million investment and expansion programme to create a new brand – Topaz – in the Irish fuels and retail business. Three hundred and fifty Shell and Statoil stations and 100 convenience stores are to be rebranded as Topaz, as well as the creation of 400 new jobs. The programme aims to “redefine the service station experience”. Topaz is one of Ireland’s largest privately-

Following a lengthy inquiry the Competition Commission's findings do not go anywhere near far enough to address the problems faced by retailers and consumers in the UK grocery market, according to James Lowman, chief executive of the Association of Convenience Stores. The Commission's

The sale of alcohol from French petrol stations is to be banned in a new campaign against drink drivers that includes the permanent confiscation of their vehicles for a second offence, according to a report in The Times. Petrol retailers were said to be angered by a measure that is part of a

Desperate drivers are roaring off without paying for petrol in a crime surge costing service stations up to $300,000 a week in Australia, according to the country's biggest selling daily newspaper, the Herald Sun. Record pump prices are being blamed for the rise of 'mum and dad' petrol thieves.

Motorists in the UK believe there are currently not enough filling stations where they can pick up fuel, new research by car supermarket company Motorpoint has revealed. The research states that the 9,500 sites providing fuel may not be enough to cope with the demand of close to 30 million

Universe, the retail and loyalty systems company, whose principal trading subsidiary is HTEC, has acquired AIB Services Limited

"With the price of fuel now clearly impacting on inflation, the time has come for the Chancellor to cancel the fuel duty increase scheduled for 1 April," said Ray Holloway, director of the RMI Petrol Retailers Association (PRA), commenting on inflation figures announced earlier this week. January’s Consumer Prices Index (CPI) inflation figure rose to 2.2 per cent, up from 2.1 per cent in December 2007. The rate is the highest since June 2007. The largest upward pressure came from the price of fuel. Holloway said: “This outcome was inevitable and has formed the basis of

UK retailers should get ready to face one of the toughest years ever as the British consumer “feels the pinch,” warns Verdict Consulting. Businesses are in for a hard time in 2008 due to a “dangerous cocktail” of intense competition, space saturation, consumer apathy and slowing spend, which

Most private cars driven in central London fall outside the new emissions-based congestion charge level, so it is questionable if the plan will achieve its aim of further reducing central London traffic levels and overall emissions,” said Alec Murray, chairman of the Retail Motor Industry

British adults are more likely to have a credit or debit card in their wallet than consumers in any other country in Western Europe. Research by independent market analysts Datamonitor found that the average Brit now carried an average of around 2.8 payment cards in their wallet. This is an increase on 2002, when the amount was 2.4 cards – the number is expected to exceed three cards per adult by 2011.

Morrisons has signed up EPOS Engineers on an annual contract to provide pump maintenance for 76 of its UK sites. The contract, being managed through Morrisons’ facilities management company LBI, means EPOS staff are on-call 24/7 for any pump issues Morrisons may encounter. Morrisons

Retailers are being reminded that new legislation regarding the sale of lighters comes into force in less than a month. Anyone caught selling lighters which are not child-resistant faces a fine of up to £20,000 and/or being jailed for 12 months after the European measures are introduced on March

The Petrol Retailers Association (PRA) is among a group of organisations which have written to the chancellor urging him to scrap plans to hike fuel duty again in April. The letter calls on Alistair Darling to abandon the move to add another 2p per litre to the price at the pumps from April 1, warning it will create “serious difficulties” for forecourt industries and other sectors in the UK.

Fuel retailers work under great financial pressure in order to provide a vital service, Ray Holloway, director of the Petrol Retailers Association told a group of MPs at a meeting in London yesterday (Wednesday, February 6). Holloway met the cross-party group of MPs to discuss the current position of the forecourt sector, and what can be done to help secure the future of the industry.

The Federation of Petroleum Suppliers’ Forecourt Division has joined other trade associations in seeking suspension of the fuel duty increase due to come into effect at the end of March. The two pence per litre rise in fuel duty last autumn is to be followed by a further rise of 2ppl from April 1 this year, at a time when the price of a barrel of oil is approaching $100.

The Home Secretary’s intention for the police to do more about tackling underage drinking in public places has been welcomed by the Association of Convenience Stores. The Minister outlined plans for a centrally funded alcohol confiscation campaign over the period of school half term. The Minister also signalled her intention to strengthen

BP is to cut 5,000 jobs, including 1,500 in the UK, after seeing profits plunge by 22%. The oil giant recorded profits of £8.76bn for 2007, blaming “disappointing” performances in certain areas compared to rivals, and “notably US refining”.

The Retail Motor Industry Federation (RMI) is calling on the Bank of England to cut interest rates after a drop in car sales during January. According to figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), the number of new cars sold during

Castrol has signed a channel partner contract with Convenience Distribution Group aimed at improving delivery of products to forecourts nationwide. Convenience Distribution Group has 12 distribution centres around the UK, and Castrol said the deal would offer retailers benefits such as smaller minimum order quantities and faster delivery.

With many stock-outs reported in the south over the Christmas period, how concerned are you about the quality of service from your fuel supplier?

MPs are taking action to make retailers drop their pump prices to match the recent decline in oil prices. In an Early Day Motion, (which had been signed by 17 MPs at the time Forecourt Trader went to press), they state: "The price of petrol has steadily risen to reach well over 100p per litre on the

Allan Henry who runs the John Henry service station in Dalmuir, Clydebank, is selling petrol for 125.9ppl and diesel for 131.9ppl. His prices are so high they were featured in the local Clydebank Post newspaper.

Petrol retailers are facing the threat of legal action by appointing inexperienced contractors with inadequate training and little industry knowledge, warns Steve Martin, managing director of sign installation specialist Xmo Strata. "With ever changing legislation, dealers need to be totally

Sales of 'green' cars are expected to overtake 'gas guzzlers' for the first time this year, according to the latest figures released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders.

The British Oil Security Syndicate (BOSS) says it has seen "very encouraging" results from a trial it has been running in Hertfordshire where it acts as the middle-man between retailers and police. The trial, which started in April, is a version

A Moto service station is to become a gateway to Britain's National Forest.

Consumers are drinking soft drinks more regularly - so says a new report from Datamonitor. It states that UK consumers had 2.3 'soft drink occasions' per person in 2006, but this is expected to reach 2.9 occasions by 2009. Matthew Jones, consumer market analyst and author of the report, explained: "Greater knowledge on the importance of hydration, maintaining a healthy diet and an awareness of nutritional needs, together with a growth in scepticism towards sugared carbonates, are all contributing to a dynamic soft drinks market."

Palmer and Harvey has launched a scheme aimed at providing fully-tailored retail solutions for independents. The wholesale distributor said the Partnership Plus initiative focused on areas such as specialised category management, stock merchandising, expert business advice identifying new sales opportunities and exclusive promotional packages for big brand products.

The government’s changes to its controversial plans to reform the capital gains tax (cgt) have been welcomed by the Association of Convenience Stores (ACS). The policy u-turn was revealed this week when the chancellor, Alistair Darling, outlined revisions to plans previously announced in last year’s Pre-Budget Report.

Three quarters of the public are opposed to any changes in UK planning law that would make it easier to build out-of-town supermarkets. The figure comes from a survey carried out by GFK-NOP on behalf of the Association of Convenience Stores (ACS). The poll also found that choice was top of the list for shoppers visiting town

Retailers are potentially losing money by failing to cater for older customers, according to Help the Aged. According to the charity, people over 50 currently spend £175 billion a year in the UK – which accounts for 45% of total consumer spending. But it said the industry was missing out on potential profits by often alienating or failing this age group.

Former Chevron executives John Lynn and Guy Vigar have joined MRH (GB) Limited – the parent company of both the Malthurst group and Pace Petroleum. Lynn replaces Graham Peacock as managing director of the MRH (GB) group, although the latter will remain on the group board as chief executive officer and will continue to be actively involved in the management of all the group’s businesses.

News that Somerfield is up for sale is a “major blow to consumer interests”, according to James Lowman, chief executive of the Association of Convenience Stores. The sale of the £2.5 billion group is the latest major step in the consolidation of the grocery market, and speculation suggests that bidders for the company are three of the existing big four grocery retailers.

Biofuels on their own cannot deliver a sustainable transport system and must be developed as part of an integrated package of measures – but the environmental, economic and social impact of such developments must also be taken into account. These are the conclusions of a report by the Royal Society, which convened a working group of leading experts to consider the science and

Tyre pressure gauges on nearly half the forecourts spot-checked by Auto Express magazine were damaged, out of order, or giving wrong readings. The checks were conducted on 80 sites with the help of Cheshire-based kit calibration company Caltec ATC. The magazine reported that it found equipment on 39 sites were not up to the task, with some filling tyres to the incorrect pressure – ranging from just one or two pounds per square inch out to 14psi. The magazine quoted Chris Wakley of campaign group TyreSafe, who said: “Severely under-inflated tyres can compromise safety. Garage and petrol station managers have a crucial role to play in providing an accurate and reliable airline service to the motoring public. These faults are potentially putting their safety at risk.”

Investors have snapped up two Top 50 Indie retailers in recent weeks, with experts saying the forecurt property market is "on fire". Petrol Express has paid £8 million for fellow retailer Bond Hamill. The deal, announced by Global Natural Energy plc (GNE Group) - which owns Petrol Express, adds seven

Rising crime cost the forecourt industry £28.9 million in 2006, according to the latest figures from the British Oil Security Syndicate (BOSS). The 2006 Forecourt Crime Statistics report found this was an increase on the previous year's £26.3 million. Meanwhile, £2.2 million of this latest rise in costs related to attacks on Cash in Transit (CIT) and ATM cash

The delay or cancellation of future fuel duty rises were at the heart of a 2008 Budget submission by the Retail Motor Industry Federation. The submission, from Ray Holloway, director of the RMIF's Independent Garage and Fuel Division, and Sue Robinson, director of the RMIF's National Franchised Dealers Association (NFDA), stated that the combination of continued high crude oil prices and the

The innocent village garage owner whose Jet outlet made national headlines for being at the hub of an international credit card scam has issued a warning to all retailers.

Top 50 independent group Gardner Garages has bought the BP Westacre Service Station in Wilton Road, Salisbury, Wiltshire from Triple Eight Ltd for £1.825 million.

Two members of the Conservative Commission into Small Shops on the High Street were in Ludlow last month meeting representatives of local business groups - including Paul Delves, managing director of award-winning forecourt and supermarket operator Harry Tuffins.

The Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) has launched its Community Heroes Award for 2008. Now in its third year, the competition rewards retailers who have made a difference in their community. The top prize includes a place at the Gala dinner and £1,000. For an entry form log onto the ACS website at http://www.acs.org.uk.