An independent Angus fuel station has claimed victory against the county’s first unmanned pump.
Colin McIntosh, who runs the Shell garage on Cairnie Road in Arbroath, said his customers had stayed loyal, despite marginally cheaper fuel being sold at the town’s Asda supermarket since last month.
There had been fears that Angus Council’s decision to start allowing automated pumps would lead to job losses. However, it seems the first station of its kind has done little to dent the established trade.
Mr McIntosh said he believes customers prefer to use a staffed garage, particularly lone females and elderly people filling up late at night.
”There has been nearly no effect at all,” he said. ”There was slight dip the first weekend it opened up because it was something new and people wanted to try it, but since then it has gone back to normal.
”I think we are going after different markets. Asda and other supermarkets are competing for the person who is going to specifically go there because it is cheaper, whereas we sell a branded product that a lot of people are loyal to.”
The decision to approve the pump at Asda was taken by council officers under delegated powers, meaning councillors did not get the chance to formally discuss or vote on the development.
The majority of ”non-major” planning applications with less than five objections are granted in the same way and the pump only received three.
Earlier this week Asda announced it is cutting up to 3p a litre off the price of both unleaded and diesel at its 203 UK forecourts. The retailer said it was reacting to the latest reductions in wholesale costs to pass savings on to customers.
Andy Peake, Asda’s petrol trading director, said: ”This is good news for drivers. When Asda comes to town our aim is to save people money, not make life difficult for local traders.
”We aim to keep our petrol pricing simple. When our costs fall we try to be the first to drop the price on the forecourt and when costs are rising as they are now we aim to be the last to have to put our prices up.
”The AA confirms, when there is an Asda petrol station in town everybody else lowers their prices. That’s because we are the only petrol retailer to have a national price cap guaranteeing a fair fuel price for our customers.”