Calls for Morrisons to open petrol station at Holyhead

Oct 29 2008 by Elgan Hearn, Holyhead and Anglesey Mail

Morrisons

HOPES are being fuelled that Morrisons will build a new petrol station at their supermarket at Penrhos Retail Park.

At the moment the only petrol station on Holy Island is at Tesco supermarket.

The residents of North Anglesey have to pay a few pence more than residents living near the Menai Strait, with the service stations at Gaerwen, Llanfairpwll and Menai Bridge always cheaper than Holyhead.

Holyhead Town county councillor, Cliff Everett, has been in talks with Morrisons and is hoping to kick start a campaign to bring more choice to the area.

He said: “There is a desperate need for another fuel service station in Holyhead which would create much needed competition.

“Usually, Morrisons have a service station attached to their foodstores as part of their development such as the one in Caernarfon.

“Nationally the price has gone down to 99.9p but we won’t be benefiting from these lower prices.

“I’ve been talking to Morrisons and they want to build a petrol station but the question now is where?”

He said: “There is land spare at Penrhos owned by Pettifer, Anglesey Aluminium and Anglesey Council and I’m hoping that one of them can come to some sort of deal.

Cllr Everett said: “I filled my car up in Bangor last week as I know the prices are cheaper.

“I’m quite willing to start a campaign on this, it’s unfair that fuel here is dearer than a few miles down the road, people here can’t drive up and down the A55 just to find cheaper petrol.”

Penrhos retail estate developers Pettifer Estates have said that developing a service station is down to Morrisons.

Pettifer director, David MacMullen, said: “It’s not our call, any service station would be built on land that Morrisons acquire.

“I know that they do want to have a petrol station but not on a site owned by us.”

A spokesman for Anglesey County Council said: “I can confirm that we are in negotiations with Morrisons and that they are on-going.”

Morrisons spokeswoman, Katie Neasham, said: “We are always keen to have petrol stations at our stores where possible.

“We are currently reviewing options available to us at our new Holyhead store, which is due to open on November 17.

“Morrisons has recently cut prices to 97.9p for unleaded and 109.9p for diesel at all our forecourts across the UK.”

elgan.hearn