The UK’s fastest-growing service station business, Ascona, has made further acquisitions at it targets 300 forecourts across the UK by 2026.
The Pembroke headquartered business, founded by its chief executive Darren Briggs in 2011, has acquired the BP-branded Brecon Road Service Station in Abergavenny and the Gulf-branded Dryslwyn Service Station in Llwyncelyn, Aberaeron. It takes its portfolio to 62 sites.
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In keeping with the group’s strategy, the sites will be boosted with new Nisa and Starbucks outlets in September – with plans to make further major improvements in the next three years.
The acquisitions follow Ascona’s decision to launch operations in Scotland for the first time, which last month saw it securing the lease of Springfield Service Station in Aberdeen. Over the next 12 months Ascona will seek further growth and it remains on target to reach its ambition of growing to 300 sites.
On the latest acquisitions, Ascona’s property director (South) Mark Franks, said:“We are delighted to add these quality forecourts to our expanding portfolio as we continue to execute on our ambitious growth strategy. We look forward to serving the local communities in Abergavenny and Llwyncelyn with our combined fuel and retail offering. “With 62 sites and counting, we are on track to achieving our ambitious goal to be one of the top three independent fuel retailers in the UK market.
“Our continued expansion is a testament to our hardworking team and demonstrates the sizeable opportunity for both organic and acquisitive growth in the market.”
The business now has workforce of more than 800 and serves 300,000 customers daily. It supplies four million litres of fuel a week.
Around two-thirds of its revenue are from fuel sales with the vast majority of the remainder retail related. The business is also looking to invest significant in the provision of electric vehicle charging points.
In its last financial year, to the end of March this year, revenues climbed from £96m to £201m.
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