Skip to content
Search
AI Powered
Latest Stories

MFG’s petrol station plans in Wednesbury to face scrutiny

MFG’s petrol station plans in Wednesbury to face scrutiny
Morrisons Petrol Station, Trouse Lane/High Bullen, Wednesbury. (Photo: Google Maps via LDRS)

By: Christian Barnett, Local Democracy Reporter

A plan to open a 24-hour petrol station in Wednesbury town centre will be decided by councillors after a complaint from a “very frustrated motorist.”


Petrol station forecourt operators Motor Fuel Group (MFG) has asked Sandwell Council for permission to sell alcohol from the petrol station between 6am and 11pm every day. The application also asks for permission to sell late-night refreshments between 11pm and 5am every day.

The petrol station would be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week if approved by Sandwell Council’s licensing committee on May 14.

But the application will be discussed by the council’s licensing committee after one objection was received over concerns the new licence would cause a “public nuisance.”

The objection from the “very frustrated motorist and local resident” said awarding the licence would add to problems to a busy road that was already regularly gridlocked.

“As you are well aware there is only one entrance to the filling station off High Bullen,” the objector said. “At peak times the area comes to a gridlock with motorists waiting on High Bullen to fill up or get any provisions.

“This will only increase if you grant the filling station a licence to sell alcohol. The average motorist does not pay by card at filling stations and likes to go in and pay.

If they are stuck in a queue [it’s] because most filling stations do not have or use their window for motorists looking to pay there for fuel only. We have all been stuck behind customers buying provisions and fuel.”

MFG struck a £2.5bn deal with the supermarket chain at the start of the year which will see the forecourt operator take over more than 300 Morrisons petrol stations across the country.

The move is part of a plan to install ultra-rapid electric vehicle charging points in hundreds of forecourts.

Sandwell Council’s licensing committee meets from 10am in Oldbury on Tuesday, May 14.


(Local Democracy Reporting Service)

More for you

Confex

Confex expands with addition of new members

Leading buying group Confex has added three new members, further strengthening its buying power and geographical reach.

As reported today (8), Ahmed Foods, A C Georgiades and Regency Service and Solutions have joined Confex. Their combined turnover adds an impressive £56.2 million to Confex's turnover, which further bolsters its strength and buying power as a group.

Keep ReadingShow less
Budget to burden Scottish c-stores with 'tens of millions they cannot afford'

iStock image

Budget to burden Scottish c-stores with 'tens of millions they cannot afford'

Eye watering increases to employer NI contributions in this year’s UK Budget, alongside a 77p increase to the National Living Wage (NLW), could add around £2,400 to the cost of employing a full-time member of staff, Scottish Grocers Federation stated today (8).

Convenience staff across Scotland worked almost 500 million hours last year. Over 55,000 people are employed across the Scottish convenience sector, many of whom fall within the scope of the increase to National Insurance Contributions (NIC) and the NLW rise, meaning that together the changes could cost retailers tens of millions in additional outgoings. Despite the planned uplift in Employment Allowance relief from £5,000 to £10,500.

Keep ReadingShow less
New report outlines path for food sector to achieve emission reduction

(Photo by Leon Neal/Getty Images)

New report outlines path for food sector to achieve emission reduction

The Institute for Grocery Distribution (IGD) has released the report, "A Net Zero Transition Plan for the UK Food System", providing a framework for the food sector to achieve 70 per cent emissions reductions in agriculture and to fully decarbonize heat, electricity and transport.

Commissioned by IGD and developed by consultants EY and WRAP, the first of its kind report provides an independent, evidence-based view for how the UK food system in its entirety, can reduce Greenhouse Gas emissions in line with a 1.5degree SBTi outcome and to meet the UK’s legally binding national target.

Keep ReadingShow less
Ministers urged to tax unhealthy foods

iStock image

Ministers urged to tax unhealthy foods

Ministers are getting under pressure to impose taxes on packaged foods containing high content of salt and/or sugar.

In a plea addressed to the chancellor, Rachel Reeves, and the health secretary, Wes Streeting, representing 35 health groups, it is highlighted that taxing unhealthy foods such as cakes, sweets, biscuits, crisps and savoury snacks would generate billions of pounds for the Treasury and cut the number of people becoming ill as a result of a bad diet.

Keep ReadingShow less
The-Fed-logo-RGB-Red-Trans-background.png
The Fed mourns ex-President Margaret Adams, retail pioneer
The Fed mourns ex-President Margaret Adams, retail pioneer

The Fed puts thousands of pounds back in members’ pockets

Tireless work by the Federation of Independent Retailers (the Fed) Contact Centre has seen almost a quarter of a million pounds recovered from news wholesalers in 2024.

The latest figures show that £187,130 has been recovered in missing credits, missing vouchers and recharges, as well as money saved through waived deposits for news wholesale accounts.

A further £40,338 was recovered in restitution for instances of late supply or missing supply having an impact on home news deliverers, taking the overall total paid back to members this year to date to £227,468.

“Once again our Contact Centre has delivered for members," said The Fed’s National President, Mo Razzaq. "This is testament to the tireless work of the team, ensuring Fed members are not left out of pocket when things go wrong.

“The amount of money the team has recovered in 2024 is further proof that, for independent retailers, it really does pay to be a member of the Federation.”

Keep ReadingShow less