'Fuel costs are putting our customers off travel'

The owner of an independent petrol station and garden centre in Cheshire has said the recent surge in fuel costs has caused a drop in customer numbers.

Peter Nicholson, director of Gordale Garden and Home Centre in Neston, said the volatility of the oil markets had forced him to increase the price of unleaded petrol by about 20p a litre.

The family business, which was set up on the South Wirral Peninsula in 1948, said increased costs were affecting people's decisions about making journeys using their car.

"We have had fewer customers now for the last two weeks. It's been noticeably quieter on the site here and unfortunately the price is quite expensive," he said.

"I think more people are making the choice, should they drive? Where would they drive? Do they have to drive? And so that is reducing the numbers of people buying fuel at the moment."

The price of oil has surged since the start of the conflict in Iran in February, with petrol and diesel seeing the biggest increases for more than two years, according to the RAC.

"We have to pay the price to get a delivery and then we put our margin on onto that price, which is very slim," Peter said.

"When we order our fuel we have to abide by that price, and if for example the petrol supplier, said that the price is going to be 150p a litre we would then put our margin on it and sell it same at 160p a litre," Peter said.

"We are very much over a barrel on the price," he said.

He said there had been some negative comments about the prices and the company was doing its best to keep prices as low possible.

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