First fully-automated petrol station for island
Guernsey is to get its first fully automated petrol forecourt, after R H Gaudion & Sons announced Channel Islands Fuels is to redevelop its forecourt.
The petrol station, which will have no staff, is due to be open by mid-September and will have extended opening hours.
The fuel company, which already supplies petrol to the site, has successfully opened similar pay-at-the-pump forecourts in Jersey over the last couple of years.
Gaudion’s director Martyn Gaudion said the move had been made in the best long-term interest of the company.
‘As a local company we greatly appreciate our loyal customers and understand that the switch to self-service may not prove popular with everybody,’ he said.
‘But the move to an unattended and upgraded fuel station will enable us to compete and provide competitive fuel prices for the next 10 to 20 years.’
Mr Gaudion said that although the new forecourt would be unmanned, the three full-time members of staff who currently work at the station had all been offered and accepted positions within the company's stores.
However, he added that the change would see the end of duty-free fuel sales.
‘We will of course offer lots of the oils and items such as petrol cans in our stores, so these will still be available,’ he said.
‘As well as the expertise and knowledge of those staff members.’
Channel Islands Fuels currently operates or supplies nine out of about 20 petrol stations on island. Rubis supplies the five operated by the Co-op, as well as nine other stations. The only forecourt not supplied by one of these two companies is Whiteway Motors in Vale, which is supplied by Guernsey Petroleum Distributors.
However, one forecourt Rubis will no longer be supplying is the Island Motor Company on Barras Lane, which has put up closed signs in the last few days.
The garage owner confirmed it would not be reopening and said he would make a statement on its closure in due course.
