'We know high fuel costs are tough for everyone'

The owner of a garage named among those selling the cheapest fuel in the UK says he stands "with the community" amid rising prices prompted by the Middle East conflict.

Maple Leaf Express in Bromyard, Herefordshire, has been highlighted nationally after appearing second lowest in an online database comparing petrol and diesel prices hit by rises since bombing in Iran started on 28 February.

Ronit Jangra, head of Rondel Group which runs the garage and six others, said having in-house transport and buying directly from a refinery had helped keep prices down.

The garage's unleaded standard petrol price was recorded on 4 April at 147.6 per litre with highest prices about £1.80.

The cost of energy has jumped as oil and gas supplies from the Middle East have been disrupted, and the cost of a barrel of crude oil has topped $100 again, as a result of the failed US-Iran ceasefire talks at the weekend.

Jangra said the Bromyard site was selling unleaded fuel at about £1.43 per litre on Monday.

"Customers come into the store and they are helping us by buying stuff and that covers our cost," he explained.

He said meanwhile, having in-house transport meant it could keep transport costs down.

"We manage our own prices and fuel ourselves," he said.

"We are a bit different than others because we're picking up our load ourselves," he explained.

"I don't think so many people do that to be honest, the big boys are doing it obviously, who have got 150 sites and they have in-house transport and a direct link with the refineries."

Jangra added the Rondel Group worked "very closely with the biggest refinery in the UK" and the firm also understood how crude oil and the market worked.

"We are monitoring day by day and that's how we plan our prices," he said.

Jangra added it was a "community-based business", working closely with communities.

"We work on really low margins and get people in shop, get a footfall in the store and we expect the customer to spend £3 really, we are not greedy."

He added: "We understand this is a tough time for everybody, especially with fuel prices going up and energy prices and living costs.

"So if we can pass something on to our customer, why not?"

The firm recently re-launched the Bromyard site, spending about £1.2m on redesigning and rebranding, he said.

Jangra expected to be able to retain the competitive prices and said its sites included one at Blakenhall, Wolverhampton, previously noted for its cheaper prices.

He said during the Covid pandemic, its aim was to "stand with the community" and this ethos had continued.

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