Asda has rejected rumours that it is considering adding a fuel station to its presence in Forfar.
The chain is celebrating a busy opening to its £15 million New Road store at the beginning of this week, and looking ahead to the unveiling of another Angus outlet at Arbroath’s Westway on Monday.
Asda chiefs say they are delighted with the reaction to the new store, but have quashed local rumours that a petrol forecourt is also on the way.
Although space on the site of the new store would be limited, there has been speculation the company may consider another town location and the former Car Services garage on Dundee Road was suggested as a possible site.
However, an Asda spokesman said petrol pumps are not on the firm’s town shopping list.
”We don’t currently have plans to bring a petrol filling station to Forfar but we are aware that many customers would welcome our low prices on fuel, so we may revisit this in the future.”
The company’s permission for the St James site, which was formerly home to Angus Council’s headquarters, also included permission for a residential element in the south west corner of the site.
Meanwhile, work is ongoing at a nearby rival which is closing its main store in the town at the end of the year.
In October, the Co-operative group announced it would be ceasing trading at the Abbeygate in Academy Street.
The closure is due to take effect in December, but the company is to retain the petrol station there and is expanding the shop there to incorporate food sales.
The Abbeygate store employs six full-time and 48 part-time staff, some of whom will transfer to the new petrol station and convenience store development.