The old fashioned red telephone box on the forecourt of Lees Village Service Station in Oldham harks back to a lost era - when customer service meant more than it sometimes does today. This is a local garage that is rolling back the years - with a friendly pump attendant who will fill up your tank, check the oil and water, put air in the tyres of your car and then send you on your way with a smile.
The 'customer first' ethos is the legacy of the late owner Frank Pullen, who passed away almost a year ago aged 81, following a three-year battle with cancer. While filling stations and supermarkets have been almost exclusively self-service for the best part of 30 years, Frank's daughter, Sue Collinge remains steadfastly determined to buck the trend by continuing a forecourt tradition.
"My dad was known as 'Mr Lees' in the village," explained Sue, 59. "He believed in serving customers and helping them as much as he could with a smile on his face. He enjoyed it so much he was working on the forecourt until weeks before he died. After taking over the business following his passing, I have vowed to uphold those values."
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Sue started working for her dad at the age of 13 when he ran a service station on Huddersfield Road in Waterhead and then later when he began to build the Lees Service Station up from scratch 30 years ago. We've always served customers and we always will," said Sue.
"There might be elderly people who don't know how to put oil or water in their car, or who need help making sure their tyres are at the right pressure. My dad loved helping people like that, and I am the same.
"In this day and age, there are not enough people and businesses willing to give an extra five minutes to help someone who might be struggling. Here's the thing, everyone needs a little help from time to time."
And the 'Mr Lees' values are certainly transmitting down the generations. Jordan McDowall, 24, is the current pump attendant, taking on the mantle of helping customers.
Jordan, from Springhead, has aspirations to be a chef, but for now enjoys helping the motorists who visit the service station. "I will serve them with fuel and do whatever I can to help them, including checking their oil, their water and their tyres," he said.
"I love it and the customers really appreciate it. Although my long-term goal is to become a chef, this is a job I really enjoy."
As well as dealing with the heartbreaking death of Frank, the service station endured an armed robbery and several petty break-ins in the last 12 months. Coupled with that, the spiralling price of petrol and diesel has put additional commercial pressure on the business.
Sue has also had to rely on her 'rock of a husband' Stuart after suffering a broken wrist and a broken arm in 2021. She added: "We will never forget our loved ones and I hope my dad is watching and is proud of what we are doing.
"The garage is his legacy and we will keep his values going. It's not easy, but I am today the person he made me and I hope that will be good enough. I will always be a daddy's girl."
Meanwhile, the community in Lees are embracing the philosophy as the service station has almost 3,000 followers on Facebook.
