Business Manager’s Report

UK, Thieves steal £11K of diesel from Gloucestershire garage

A garage from the Forest of Dean has lost thousands of pounds after thieves targeted its diesel supply. John Hall and John Martin, who run the Ross Road Garage in Huntley, were left more than £11,000 out of pocket after a large amount of diesel was siphoned from their tank.

Mr Hall, who has been at the site for more than 20 years, said the garage and neighbouring businesses were often targeted because of their remote location. He said: "We get our fair share of burglaries, but nobody ever seems to see anything. "We've all been robbed along here at some point. It just seems to be one after the other, because we're so far out. We also don't have the police presence we used to. Years ago we had a patrol car which could come down the road looking in on us, but there's none of that now." Mr Hall said the thieves had managed to find their way into the tank via a manhole cover in the ground. He said: "It must have been very early in the morning on Saturday February 27. "We'd had a delivery on the Thursday, so there was plenty of it in there. They removed the manhole cover, then they broke the lock which was holding the top on, and then they must have got a large tube and sucked it out. "They must have had a big truck to take it away, because that's a lot of fuel. "Mr Hall said the cost of replacing the fuel had been incredibly expensive. He said: "To put back what we had before they came cost us £11,237." Quite a few stations have been done like ours, and although I admit we're in business to make money, we also employ people and we need to be able to protect their jobs."

A police investigation has been launched and officers are appealing for anyone who was in the area at the time to come forward. A Gloucestershire police spokeswoman said: "Between 10pm on Friday February 26 and 8.15am on Saturday February 27, 9680 litres of fuel were stolen from a garage in Huntley. The stolen diesel is valued at around £10,000. "In the last year there have been a total of four thefts or burglaries from business premises in Ross Road, these range from the theft of an advertising board to the theft of 150 decking boards.

UK, Fuel firm in talks to acquire Texaco outlets in Ireland

British fuel group Malthurst is believed to be in talks with oil giant Chevron to purchase more than 20 of its company-owned Texaco filling stations in Ireland. It is understood that talks have been ongoing for some months. Malthurst formed two companies in December in preparation for its entry into the Irish market: MRH (Ireland) Petroleum Ltd and MRH (Ireland) Properties Ltd. Founded in 1997, Malthurst is the largest independent owner and operator of petrol stations in Britain, accounting for about 4 per cent of the market. It is headquartered in Essex and has 300 filling stations in England and Scotland using a number of brands, including Texaco and BP. It also runs a wholesale fuel business distributing to commercial and domestic customers. MRH (GB) Ltd recorded turnover of £1.35 billion. Barclays Private Equity owns a 38 per cent stake in the business. When contacted about the talks, a spokeswoman for Chevron said: ”No decision has been made about our Dublin assets at this time. Nothing has been finalised.”

Chevron owns the Texaco brand and runs a large network of filling stations in Ireland. It is understood that the group is keen to sell its company-owned sites. Chevron also owns Texoil in Ireland. This company distributes home heating oil and other fuel products around the country. The oil giants have gradually withdrawn from Ireland and other European markets in recent years to focus more on their upstream exploration and refining activities. Shell and Statoil sold their service stations to Topaz within the past five years while Esso has retrenched its operation to the Leinster area. It is not clear how much Malthurst would pay for the Texaco stations but it would be expected to spend several million upgrading the forecourts and possibly rebranding them. At the height of the boom, filling stations in urban areas carried hefty price tags. But valuations have plunged and many sites bought for redevelopment have recently had their forecourt operations restored. Topaz is the biggest fuel group in Ireland with a share of 30 per cent. It expects to make an operating profit of €20 million this year on turnover of €3 billion-plus

UK, Immingham. Fines over taxi firm fatal blast

Two women died in the explosion at the taxi firm. A taxi firm owner and a petrol station have been fined after an explosion in Immingham in which two people died. Sue Barker, 43, and Ann Mawer, 52, died in the blast at Fred's Taxis in 2007 when petrol on the premises ignited. Mrs Barker's husband John Barker, 46, of Washdyke Lane, Immingham, was fined £2,400 after he admitted two counts of breaching health and safety laws. Immingham Service Station Ltd was fined £7,500 at Grimsby Crown Court for breaching its petroleum licence. The explosion happened on Christmas Eve, 2007. After an investigation by North East Lincolnshire Council, Mr Barker was charged with failing to protect his employees in relation to the storage of petrol and failing to protect the public. Immingham Service Station Ltd, of Pelham Road, Immingham, admitted breaching a condition of its petroleum spirit licence by dispensing the fuel into an unapproved container. North East Lincolnshire Council said Mr Barker had bought nearly 25 litres of petrol from the service station. He then carried it into the taxi firm's office, which also contained a gas heater and electrical appliances. The container broke and the petrol

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spilled and ignited, causing the explosion. The petrol station company and Mr Barker were fined at Grimsby Crown Court. The council's head of public protection, John Seale, said: "We hope that the conclusion of this case will once again serve as a reminder to the public and the retail industry of the importance of adhering to health and safety legislation."

Councillor Steve Beasant, the council's portfolio holder for community safety and public protection, said: "This was a very tragic case which should never have happened and I only hope that lessons have been learned."

UK, Caerphilly. Businessman found guilty UK, London. Petrol retail body warns of job losses

Feb 2010 - Businessman Gerwyn Brian Charles Evans trading as ‘Park Service Station’, Bedwellty Road, Cefn Fforest, Blackwood received a 2 year conditional discharge and was ordered to pay £14,000 prosecution costs by District Judge Martin Brown when he was found guilty of 10 offences under the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 for breaching regulation 6(1) and 6(10) of the Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2002.

In a four-day trial in Caerphilly and Abertillery Magistrates Courts, the court heard that between 22nd November 07 and 28th March 08 Mr Evans continued to use an underground petrol storage tank after it failed a tank test. He did this despite receiving specific safety instructions not to do so from Caerphilly County Borough Council Trading Standards Service. Furthermore Evans received deliveries of petroleum spirit into a second unlicensed tank, which had been out of use for more than 12 months and had not been tested, to ensure it was sound. In evidence the court was told of occasions when the tanks used to store petroleum spirit were unlocked and incorrectly labelled. Moreover the authenticity of site records was also brought into question during the proceedings.

When delivering his verdict District Judge Brown said that in his view Evans lost credibility for the obstinate way he stood his ground regarding the use of the tanks and that for some of the offences he had no real defence.

Councillor Lyn Ackerman welcomed the result of the prosecution saying “A major concern associated with the storage and dispensing of petrol is the risk of fire and explosion”. Petrol is a dangerous substance, which is why stringent safety measures are in place for the protection of the public. Those who put residents’ health and safety at risk must be taken to task.”

UK, Maidstone. Swift Environment Agency action saves water quality

A major environmental pollution incident was narrowly avoided on Tuesday (January 12th) after a lorry spilled more than 6,000 litres of diesel into waterways near Maidstone. The accident happened following a multi-vehicle crash on the M20, during which the truck transporting the fuel spilled its load.

Officers from the Environment Agency attended the scene to deploy oil booms and prevent the spread of the pollutant. The oil entered the Lilk Stream through the motorway drainage system and was carried as far as the top of Major Lakes fishery at Bearstead before it was contained. Jan Leslie, spokesperson for the agency, commented: "Due to our prompt efforts, the impact of the pollution of the environmentally sensitive waterways has been greatly reduced and was prevented from spreading across the fishing lakes." She added that full surveys will be undertaken to assess the impact of the spill on the affected stretch of river.

According to Environment Agency figures, oil and fuels are the most frequently reported pollutant found in inland waters, with more than 5,000 incidents involving these chemicals reported each year.

Planned rises to the business rates of independent petrol stations in England and Wales could cost 1,000 jobs, their trade body has warned. RMI Independent Petrol Retailers Association (RMI Petrol) said the estimated job losses would come when up to 200 petrol stations have to close. RMI Petrol said some of its members expect to see their bills rise fourfold from 1 April. HM Revenue & Custom's Valuation Office Agency said it was aware of concerns. "The Valuation Office Agency has been meeting with representatives from the industry to listen to their concerns and will continue doing so," said a spokeswoman. "The valuation officers have a statutory duty to carry out revaluation of business premises every five years”.

UK, Exmouth petrol leak at Exmouth filling station

A petrol leak occurred at an Exmouth filling station. Fire crews responded to a report of a strong smell of fuel at the Shell Garage in Exeter Road on Friday, January 22, at around 11.33am. Two fire appliances from Exmouth and a gas detector from Exeter attended. The crews confirmed a strong smell of petrol emanating from the forecourt. The electrical supply to the fuel pumps had been isolated. A spokesperson for Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue service said: "This was a small leakage of petrol from an underground fuel tank on the forecourt. "Fire crews used an Environment Agency spill kit to absorb the petrol spillage and isolated the forecourt pumps." The care of the incident was left with the manageress of the fuel station.

UK, Manchester. War veteran dies in lawnmower fireball

William Baines had been filling his petrol lawnmower when he was engulfed in flames last June. An inquest in Stockport heard a box of

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matches – which he kept for lighting candles at church – had probably fallen out of his pocket as he bent down to start the mower in his garden.

The great-grandfather then stood on them, the friction lighting the matches and igniting petrol vapours and fuel on his clothes. When he rushed in a panic into the passageway where he kept the mower, petrol which had already spilt on the floor fed the fire, engulfed Mr Baines and filled the passage with flames.

Neighbours called 999 after seeing smoke coming from Mr Baines's house on Chelford Grove, Bridgehall. Coroner John Pollard ruled his death was accidental, adding "What's more likely than not is that he has been filling up his lawnmower and perhaps some fuel has been spilt – it's easily done. "There appears to be a strange and almost unbelievable sequence of events. Sometimes fact is stranger than fiction – and this is one of those occasions. "He has got the matches in his pocket as he bends over the mower to start it and they fall out of his pocket." Mr Pollard said there was then a series of coincidences in which the friction of his foot against the matches and the concrete set Mr Baines on fire.

He added: "He then panicked in a way which I guess most of us would." Mr Baines, a former foundry worker who served in the navy during the Second World War, died from his injuries the next day at Wythenshawe Hospital. He was described by family as a very religious, independent and fit man, a keen gardener who did daily press-ups and seemed decades younger.

UK, Suffolk. Petrol attendant prevented explosion

A petrol station attendant, who stopped a man from blowing up a petrol station with women and children inside, has been praised for his bravery. Rzgar Kareem grabbed the gushing petrol pump and a lighter out of the hands of Andrew Willoughby, before pinning him to the floor until police arrived. "It was very scary," said Rzgar, 29, who works at the Murco petrol station in Newmarket Road, Bury St Edmunds. "I was worried for the people inside as well as myself. There could have been a big explosion. "I saw him try to flick the lighter twice. Fortunately he was drunk and not able to light it. "I remember one little girl was crying after I grabbed him. I told her 'don't worry'. "What he was doing was very dangerous," added Rzgar, who has lived in Bury for nine years and is originally from Iraq. "I've never seen anything like it in my life." He was speaking after Willoughby, 25, was jailed for two years by Ipswich Crown Court.

Trouble started after Willoughby had gone to the petrol station at about 12.30pm on October 3 and tried to buy wine. Staff refused to serve him because he already appeared to be drunk, said prosecutor Robert Sadd. He then tried to buy a can of beer but when he was again refused, he walked out onto the forecourt, took a hose and pulled out a cigarette lighter, Mr Sadd said. When interviewed by police, Willoughby, of Tayfen Road, Bury, denied that he intended to start a fire. Willoughby, who has previous convictions for violence, public disorder and robbery, pleaded guilty to threatening to commit criminal damage or arson. "What he did wasn't anything other than deeply stupid. He realises that," said Matthew McNiff, in mitigation, at the hearing. He said Willoughby had a number of issues troubling him at the time and drank alcohol to cope.

The judge, Mr Recorder Nigel Peters, praised the bravery of Mr Kareem. He said the incident was 'very alarming', and while he accepted that he did not intend to start a fire, it could have had 'disastrous consequences'. Bury Insp Chris Galley said: "This incident had the potential to harm not only those present at the petrol station, but people living locally and passers-by on a busy route through Bury St Edmunds. "The quick thinking and fast actions of those staff members at the petrol station diffused the situation and prevented a major

UK, Wolverhampton. Petrol station hit by fire

A petrol station in Wolverhampton was shut following a fire on the forecourt. A forecourt attendant averted a potential disaster at the 24-hour BP garage on Stafford Road, Fordhouses.

One of the overhead lights on the forecourt is thought to have short circuited at around 3am, causing sparks to ignite fuel fumes on the ground. Flames quickly engulfed a petrol pump and spread to the roof, setting light to the canopy and damaging the plastic overhead sign. The attendant, who was working alone, raised the alarm just in time as the blaze threatened to engulf other pumps.

Two fire crews from Fallings Park were called to the scene and police closed off Stafford Road as smoke billowed across the carriageway. Crew commander Karl James said: “The fuel pump was well alight when we arrived and the flames had spread onto the roof and started to burn the canopy. “Four of the crew wearing breathing apparatus managed to stop the fire in its tracks. It could have been very nasty if it had spread to the other pumps.”

UK, Cheltenham. Arsonist built bonfire at Texaco garage

Drunken Michael Easterbrook terrified staff at a petrol station by building a bonfire around one of the fuel pumps and lighting a flame. Easterbrook, 23, piled up bags of coal and wood around the pump on the forecourt of the Texaco garage in Gloucester Road, Cheltenham. He then sprayed petrol from the pump over the pile. Police and firefighters used a battering ram to overpower Easterbrook and drag him away from the pump, Gloucester Crown Court heard. Easterbrook, of Pitman Road, Cheltenham, was jailed for three years after he admitted making

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