New fuelling station at store is opened
THE CONTROVERSIAL fuel forecourt has opened at Hinckley’s Asda supermarket.
Plans for the automated filling station were turned down twice by Hinckley and Bosworth Borough councillors but granted on appeal by a national Government inspector last summer.
Two houses, numbers 26 and 28 Barwell Lane, were demolished to make way for the three pump, six bay fully automated fuel point which opened last week.
The scheme was resisted by borough planning committee members due to fears of noise and light disturbance to residents as well as highways concerns.
However, following two failed bids, Asda took the project to appeal where a national planning official decided in their favour.
Asda had wanted 24-hour operation but as part of the permission the opening hours are 6am to 11pm Mondays to Saturdays and 9am to 5pm Sundays and Bank Holidays, tieing in to its store opening hours.
Fuel deliveries are also only allowed between 7am to 10pm Mondays to Saturdays and 9am to 5pm on Sundays and Bank Holidays.
The opening of the pay-at-thepump site has already sparked a price war. It launched with a price of £112.7p per litre for both petrol and diesel, less than most other fuel providers in and around the borough. Rival supermarket chain Morrisons reacted with a price drop to match at its forecourt on Normandy Way.
For the launch Asda claimed their prices were the cheapest in a five mile radius and predicted that “drivers locally can expect to benefit from the so-called ‘Asda effect’ reported elsewhere in the country, whereby new Asda pet- rol forecourt opening has led to copycat price drops elsewhere in the locality - bringing down the average price of petrol in the area.”
Asda on Barwell Lane officially opened its new fuel outlet at the beginning of June with the help of the new Mayor of Hinckley and Bosworth, Councillor Ozzy O’Shea.
Asda customer champion Marie Eaves said: “We were very pleased with our opening day figures and the sales are increasing day on day as people realise we are now trading.”
The opening of the petrol station has also led to the creation of four part-time jobs.
At the launch, the Mayor was joined by general store manager James Pullar, customer trading manager Sue McAuliffe and a group of store colleagues in celebrating the new facility.