Owner Of One Of World's First Petrol Stations Says He Can't Afford His Own Fuel
The owner of one of the UK's oldest ever petrol stations has said he wouldn't be able to buy diesel from his own pumps due to soaring fuel prices.
Ross Molloy runs RGM Brailsford Garage, in Derbyshire, which has been in action since 1895.
Molloy told DerbyshireLive that while many punters are claiming places are hiking prices to make more cash, the truth is that the increase is needed for them to break even.
He also explained that he's particularly hard-hit as his supplier prefers to flog fuel in bulk, which he can't buy due to owning a smaller station.
He told the news outlet: "People blame the retailer, like me. They are saying you are putting up the price, you are cashing in.
"I've been making about 3p a litre profit on diesel and Esso down the road are selling it cheaper than I can buy it for. I usually sell for around 10p more than Esso.
"I have to put it up because it comes to me at a high price. I've almost been giving it away to be honest, and that's why there aren't many small garages left."
Molloy welcomed Chancellor Rishi Sunak's fuel duty cut - which knocks 5p off a litre - but says it's 'a drop in the ocean' compared to the rising prices.
Unfortunately, over Christmas a motorist hit the diesel pumps at RGM Brailsford Garage meaning they're currently out of action - but Molloy says even before that he wasn't able to afford his own diesel.
He's now trying to decide if it's worth him getting the pumps fixed or not, given that they don't bring a huge amount of money.
"At the moment I am weighing up whether it is even worth getting them repaired for the amount I make out of it," he told DerbyshireLive.
"It upsets me because this is the oldest petrol station in Derbyshire - 1895 is when this place started selling fuel.
"Although I don't make anything out of the fuel, I don't want to be the last person to sell fuel at the oldest petrol station in Derbyshire."
In Sunak's Spring Statement speech this week, he knocked 5p off the fuel duty.
The cut means drivers will pay 52.92p in tax for every litre of fuel they buy from 6.00pm yesterday to March next year.
Sunak said the move was 'the biggest cut to all fuel duty rates ever.'
However, the RAC said the cut will only take prices 'back to where they were just over a week ago'.
Claire Reid