There has been a dramatic fall in the number of petrol stations round my way in Balham, south London. There used to be about 15 petrol stations that I knew of within a couple of miles of me about three years ago, but that number has dropped by about half since then.
Most of the old stations seem to end up as development sites for housing. I guess there is far bigger profits in apartments than in petrol, but it now means I have to consider filling up when my tank reaches about a quarter full just in case the next station I try and visit has also closed.
Is this a nationwide thing, or do I just live in the wrong area?
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Same here on the Costa Del Geriatrica ( Bournemouth area ) : mostly seems to be Texaco stations closing down for some reason.
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Well, I think so. I worry slightly about usernames I don't understand because I always think someone is getting one past me, but as far as I know its ok.
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I miss the village petrol stations.
They used to be more expensive, but not much, and given the horrendous vagaries of petrol pricing these days I don't think it would matter. I used to like being served as well, which still happens in South America.
Whenever I see a village/country pwetrol station, I always try and use it figuring that maybe a little extra business will keep them going.
I should think the more modern H&S rules have probably given them unmanageable expense as well.
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3 out of 6 closest to my house have shut in the past 18 months. And 2 out of the 3 on my route to the M3. Probably a side effect of the supermarkets getting the trade.
V
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Agree with Mark. had a holiday in small devon village last year with a local garage. Used it as required despite being dearer. Used the village shop for my fags and bread and papers.
I am fortunate in where I live we seem to have a small thriving little community of shops despite being surrounded by the biggies. We have a plumbing shop, pet shop, small co-op, butcher, dry cleaner, hardware (old fashioned type)store, flower shop, car spares shop, - most things you need except a fishmonger. We shop at tescos for the major groceries, but use the locals for everything else. (tell the man in the hardware shop what you have seen in B&Q and he will get it for you in two days at a similar price, AND still sell you three nails and a screw when required or get his drawer out for that "unusual" size nut.)
Use em or loose em folks.
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I am fortunate in where I live we seem to have a small thriving little community of shops despite being surrounded by the biggies. We have a plumbing shop, pet shop, small co-op, butcher, dry cleaner, hardware (old fashioned type)store, flower shop, car spares shop, - most things you need except a fishmonger. We shop at tescos for the major groceries, but use the locals for everything else. (tell the man in the hardware shop what you have seen in B&Q and he will get it for you in two days at a similar price, AND still sell you three nails and a screw when required or get his drawer out for that "unusual" size nut.) Use em or loose em folks.
Same for me. The small town where I live (Clue - Frank Whittle developed the jet engine here) has only a few shops but it's amazing what you can get. Even the hardware shop opens for 2 hours on a Sunday.
To keep 'in thread' our Jet petrol station has just closed. 2 open still almost opposite each other.
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Filling stations are an increasing rarity on Tyneside too, and there are one or two blank sites I can think of in Shrewsbury. I can only assume that supermarkets are (indirectly) responsible. It seems that the way to remain profitable is to have a large shop on site - since fuel sales alone won't make much.
It is now necessary, when planning a round trip of >100 miles, to fast-forward it all first, plan where to fill up, and then hope the place still exists.
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They've been shutting all the ones on the main road (A27) near me - makes it a bit desperate if you don't know the area and hence where to turn off to find others, as there is now a stretch of better than 14 miles without a single one (Q8 at Patcham, back of Brighton - next one after that going west is Q8 at Salvington, outskirts of Worthing). This seems pretty poor for a stretch of highway that passes through several built-up areas. For some reason, it's Total and BP that are getting the chop, for the most part.
I can only imagine that the leases are coming up for renewal, and the consequent rent hike has demolished an already slim margin completely, hence the closures.
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The three nearest to me have gone, and the next two are open 24 hrs. I suspect one factor is vandalism, coupled with security, in the case of those which it is not economic to have manned overnight.
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Ditto Teesside/n. Yorks.
But then there are oddities which still undercut the supermarkets, have forecourts unchanged from the 1970s,and still exist.
Maybe they are staying in the business until all the rivals have gone?
Or are money-laundering centres?
rg
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Think 15 stations within a couple of miles was maybe too many!!
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