Petrol station numbers in the UK have tumbled to a record low, official figures reveal. From a peak of 21,000 in the nineties, there are now only 8,500 forecourts in the country, prompting concerns that some areas will become ‘fuel deserts’.

The latest count shows that Fife in Scotland is the worst-hit area, with only 36 filling stations supplying more than 163,000 drivers – a ratio of one station to 4,538 motorists.

Seems like the choice will be no choice!

I agree with you Andy, shops are the same too.

It's the 'credit crunch'.

I don't think I've bought fuel from a supermarket for more than 4 years, and other than the Co-op, I doubt if we have used a supermarket for food shopping for longer than that. The last time I bought something in Tesco's was 2 years ago, and that was a printer/scanner.

Support your local independent traders!!

I take it supermarkets are few and far between in your neck of the woods, where I live the choice is only between which particular one to use with more coming.

I don't think I've bought fuel from a supermarket for more than 4 years, and other than the Co-op, I doubt if we have used a supermarket for food shopping for longer than that. The last time I bought something in Tesco's was 2 years ago, and that was a printer/scanner.

Support your local independent traders!!

I agree Graham.

Kitten and I (in the last 3 years) have purchased a Bosch fridge freezer, Siemens tumble dryer, Siemens dishwasher and a Siemens washing maching ALL from out local independent electrical trader. :yes:

We ended up paying more but received a MUCH better personal service.

NOTHING came from Comet's or suchlike.

in the town where I live, we currently have just 2 petrol stations and as there is no competition the prices at both are sky high. One is Tesco and the other is a standard Esso forecourt. its cheaper for me to drive 10 miles to the next big town, fill up there and drive back again. The Esso is currently charging £1.45 a litre for diesel, Tesco is only a little cheaper and always has long queues, and I can get it for less than £1.38 10 miles down the road.

local independent traders? Ah yes I think I remember them. long gone round here. in petrol terms we have 2 BP stations or a Morrisons.

We seem to be spoilt for choice for fuel - Jet, Esso, Conoco, Rix, BP, Shell as well as Tesco, ASDA Morrisons and Sainsburys - all within a 10 mile radius.

I'm paying around £1.379 per litre for diesel.

Of course, I'd do almost anything to move to a different area!

in the town where I live, we currently have just 2 petrol stations and as there is no competition the prices at both are sky high. One is Tesco and the other is a standard Esso forecourt. its cheaper for me to drive 10 miles to the next big town, fill up there and drive back again. The Esso is currently charging £1.45 a litre for diesel, Tesco is only a little cheaper and always has long queues, and I can get it for less than £1.38 10 miles down the road.

You're obviously in the wrong Forum...

Independants, I think I remember what they were? Don't you have to go into a town centre, pay to park and then traipse around dirty streets comparing prices in numerous shops before going back to the first one and buying sonething, normally almost too large or heavy to take back to the car, which is miles away, or pay for it to be deliverd.

Thank god someone invented supermarkets, shoping centres, DIY stores, currys etc. Turn up, park outside and get what you want. No fuss or hassle and enough competition to keep the prices reasonable, and they sell cheap fuel as well, which I have never had a problem from using in hundreds of thousands of miles driving. Within 5 miles from my house,(which is in a country village), I have a 3 tesco', one a large one, asda, sainsbury's, aldi, netto, B&Q, comet, M&S food. It is a complete pain going into Leeds town centre, indeed I work within walking distance and rarely even go their from work.

Now the above are under threat in their turn as you can shop from the lounge or study by computer for the best deals. I have just replaced a washer and dryer, bought online and delivered with a 5 year guarantee and much cheaper than even at comets etc (£584 for a siemens washer which I thought was pretty expensive, until I saw the same machine featured and promoted in Comet's 2 weeks later for a "discounted" £769!!!!, with only a 2 year guarantee)

Edited 21 October, 201114 yr by kenfowler3966

You're obviously in the wrong Forum...

Did you get your coat on the way out?

Up here we`ve nowt

7 of us living in a shoebox but........

There`s a brand new Yeti parked outside. Photos to follow.

Spent 2 hours fiddling around with the Maxidot last night!

How do you change the digital KmPH to MPH?

Just going to put all my bits and bobs in and perhaps venture out!

Cheers :beer:

Peter

How do you change the digital KmPH to MPH?

You find a very nice man with VCDS software and an appropriate cable.

It can't be done through any driver control.

Enjoy the new Yeti!

How do you change the digital KmPH to MPH?

This one has been covered quite a bit but is a question nearly everyone asks. The simple answer is you cannot unless someone hooks you up to a computer and changes the country to Australia (you can use others but that is the simplest one) Others on here have done it before.

The reason you are not supposed to is that your display has to show mph and kph and Skoda do not put this on their dials. Therefore it has to be somewhere else, in this case the display.

Did you get your coat on the way out?

Yup

... and then I calculated that, using imagined prices and mpg, that the Forum liver is saving a few pennies driving 10 miles and back to save 6p per litre. Considering 20 miles takes 20 minutes at a good pace that's a rate of nearly a £/hour for his time before subtracting for the extra wear and tear on the car.

Come and live in France! Gazoil £1.26 equivalent, and also no Road Tax!

Quids in,

We actually looked at moving our business to France a few years ago, most of what we sell goes into the EU so it would not be a problem. Things looked good until we looked into the tax set up for businesses including corporation tax, employees and employers tax etc. The project was stopped within about 5 seconds at that point. A great shame, you may have cheaper fuel but the govt screws businesses.

Thanks for the info re Kmph.

Just filled the lad up with V Power Diesl @ £1.45 litre compared with £1.38 for the ordinary.

Could be first and last time!!!

Cheers

Peter.

Thankfully, we are very lucky here as other than the Co-op and a very small Spar EVERYTHING is an independent, that goes from the shoe shop to the opticians, and the butchers to the fruiterers. The electical shop at the top of the street was actually cheaper than Curries when we bought a new stove 2 years ago. Plus we have Hafren Furnishing which is famous in Wales as being one of the best but cheapest furnishing "sheds" there is!

We have an independent BP station at the Peugeot dealers, but I invariably buy my fuel in Newtown, 14 miles away, on the way to work, normally from a Texaco station, but sometimes use the BP opposite Tesco's. However the BP is normally 0.1 cheaper than Tesco's! A bit further on is Morrison's and a Shell, neither of which I have ever used.

Perhaps I am biased in favour of the independent retailer, as my wife is one, running a pet food shop. Currently I will admit that it is difficult as we are undercut by the likes of Tesco's, or Pets at Home in Aberystwyth, but people seem to forget the cost and time involved to get there!

http://www.llanidloes.com/

Graham

What about Tuffins Churchstoke? always found it cheaper, whilst en route Corris to our pad there!

Re pet shops etc it is a pleasant trip to Aber but couldn't say I would do it reglarly, about once/twice per year to eat in the Indian on the pier!

Also, a good model shop on the street connecting the main drag to the prom near the pier!

Tuffin's is the same price as Newtown for fuel, but agreed the rest of their stuff is cheap, but I normally stop at the Co-op; got to get my "divi"!!

Haven't been over to Aber for ages, but I must pay a visit to the model shop some time. That is the one thing we are missing in Llani, although the Toy Shop will get stuff in specially. If I need anything it is a good excuse for a trip up to Portmadog. (I'm sad and model 009!!)