Petrol station ends fuel deal for lifeboat station

[matchmaker]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c0rxw8xpqq0o

BBC said:

An independent lifeboat charity in south-west Scotland has been left reeling after a filling station withdrew a free fuel deal at short notice.

Nith Inshore Rescue (NIR) - which covers the River Nith into the Solway Firth from its base at Glencaple - has had an agreement with St Michael's Services in Dumfries for more than a decade.

However, it has been informed that the deal is being ended with immediate effect after the filling station was taken over by a UK-wide operator, Grove Retail Ltd.

Grove Retail said it had come to the decision after "careful consideration and an internal review".

NIR chairman Peter Bryden said the news had come as a "profound shock" and would have a serious impact on its life-saving service. He urged the company to reconsider.

Anyone use a petrol staion run by Grove Retail Ltd?

[Scrump]

matchmaker said:

Anyone use a petrol staion run by Grove Retail Ltd?

I don’t, but the operators of my local petrol stations also don’t give free fuel to charity.

[Zetec-S]

article said:

has had an agreement with St Michael's Services in Dumfries for more than a decade

So presumably they go back to paying for fuel like they used to just over a decade ago?

Seems like a bit of a non-story really. Company does something nice for charity, gets taken over by another company who decides to stop...

[brake fader]

When i read the thread title i was hoping it was aimed at the boats in the channel. Very disappointing.

[98elise]

Zetec-S said:

article said:

has had an agreement with St Michael's Services in Dumfries for more than a decade

So presumably they go back to paying for fuel like they used to just over a decade ago?

Seems like a bit of a non-story really. Company does something nice for charity, gets taken over by another company who decides to stop...

Agreed. Its great the previous owners gave them free fuel, but its up to the new owners if they continue that practice.

[JoshSm]

Nice attitude - if someone chooses to be charitable that's great, but you shouldn't just expect it and then whinge when they stop the gifts.

[Jasandjules]

Well I had no idea that anyone would do that. I wonder if they might prefer to give me free fuel instead.....

[snotrag]

JoshSm said:

Nice attitude - if someone chooses to be charitable that's great, but you shouldn't just expect it and then whinge when they stop the gifts.

This.

Someone with even half a clue about PR would have done this "We would like to thank XYZ for their fantastic help over the past ten years and..." etc etc.

As in - hint hint at anyone else, if you want some feel good advertising, this is a way to do it....

[BikeBikeBIke]

Scrump said:

I don t, but the operators of my local petrol stations also don t give free fuel to charity.

+1. This place should be commended for giving free fuel for 10 years, not criticised for stopping.

See also permissive paths. A local landowner absolutely publically slated for closing a permissive path. I bet neither he nor any other local landowner will ever agree to open a path again.

[Collectingbrass]

JoshSm said:

Nice attitude - if someone chooses to be charitable that's great, but you shouldn't just expect it and then whinge when they stop the gifts.

Probably explains a big part of why they're independent of the RNLI as well

[Earthdweller]

The story is a bit misleading

A company that has ceased trading had an arrangement that a new company that has taken over the premises doesn't have

Can't see any obligation on the new company to honour any arrangement a previous business had

[Randy Winkman]

To be fair the only criticism of the fuel company is that the news was sudden and gave no time for alternative supplies to be sought. Of course we only know what's in the article.

[Getragdogleg]

So the previous owners did a wonderful charitable thing for ages but the new owners are not going to do this wonderful charitable thing any more.

Good on the old owners, poor show for the new owners.

I suspect the new owners are not connected to the community in any way and are from outside the area so have no real understanding for the need for a local Lifeboat.

[768]

Getragdogleg said:

Good on the old owners, poor show for the new owners.

Good on the old owners, but I don't think it's a poor show for the new owners; it's a dog eat dog world and such approaches are possibly part of why they're in business and the old owners aren't.

[Getragdogleg]

768 said:

Getragdogleg said:

Good on the old owners, poor show for the new owners.

Good on the old owners, but I don't think it's a poor show for the new owners; it's a dog eat dog world and such approaches are possibly part of why they're in business and the old owners aren't.

I am not going to speculate on why the business got sold but for 10+ years the kind offer was in place.

My opinion is that the new owners are not part of that community so don't get why its a big deal, give the size of "Grove retail LTD" and the almost £4 million pre tax profit for last year I am pretty sure they can afford a few grand a year for some good advertising and local goodwill.

I live in a coastal area and the lifeboat plays a big part in our lives.

[768]

Getragdogleg said:

...give the size of "Grove retail LTD" and the almost £4 million pre tax profit for last year...

If they have to use profits from elsewhere in the business to subsidise that one outlet, they'd be better off closing the outlet.

[Getragdogleg]

768 said:

Getragdogleg said:

...give the size of "Grove retail LTD" and the almost £4 million pre tax profit for last year...

If they have to use profits from elsewhere in the business to subsidise that one outlet, they'd be better off closing the outlet.

If they are not making profit at that location because they give a few grands of fuel out for free each year there are bigger problems with that location.

I wager the theft and stock going out of date losses are bigger than the fuel donation, which is tax deductible.

[h0b0]

Stick a life boat charity box on the counter with some kind of tap to donate and let the people who buy petrol there have an opportunity to contribute.

[poo at Paul's]

brake fader said:

When i read the thread title i was hoping it was aimed at the boats in the channel. Very disappointing.

Grrrrrr rubber boat taxi service porno mugs grrrrrrr!

[Timothy Bucktu]

Getragdogleg said:

I live in a coastal area and the lifeboat plays a big part in our lives.

As a goodwill gesture...everyone should promise to be more careful at Sea, so they don't rely on being rescued when they F up.




Joking (a bit)...calm down.