That new garage for Marlborough is on its way – but it is going to take longer than expected to arrive at the Business Park because of planning changes and delays.
The Fraser Garage Group, which has won the UK title of Forecourt Trader of the Year three times and been highly commended too, now hopes its pumps will be busy in the new year.
“We believe we can provide a fantastic service for the people of Marlborough and are looking forward to opening there,” Mark Wilson, the group operations manager of the family business, told Marlborough News Online.
“We have built our reputation in providing the best offer prices possible with the best customer service possible. We have not yet decided on our shop partner, but it is almost certain that the fuel brand will be BP or Esso.”
The company, launched more than half a century ago, already operates six garages, including one in Calne, Wiltshire. It first made a bid a decade ago to buy out Deans, Marlborough’s current sole petrol supplier, but has been consistently unsuccessful in taking it over.
“Many years ago I used to work for an oil company and Marlborough was part of my patch,” Mr Wilson recalled. “And I remember at least three petrol stations in the town. There used to be one where Majestic Wines are and another on the Vauxhall dealership, in George Lane.”
“But the industry has been decimated in the last 10 years with the number of sites being reduced from 15,000 to 8,800 – and still dropping each year now. So a new industry site is a rare thing.”
The delays are partly due to changes in the size and design of the new petrol station, which will provide state of the art car wash facilities, jet and car vacuum services, and a slightly larger shop than the one originally proposed, which aims to compete with the new Tesco supermarket in the Salisbury Road Business Park.
“The whole planning process has taken longer than anticipated, which may have a knock on effect to when we open the site,” he explained. “It was all arranged for us to start building in the summer. Now we hope it will be before the end of the year.”