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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Reem Ahmed & Estel Farell-Roig

Drivers fear they've 'been taken for mugs' after garage sells 'cheapest fuel for miles'

A family-run petrol station is having drivers from "all over" flocking to fill up after it started selling some of the cheapest fuel for miles.

The filling station in Wales has been selling unleaded petrol for 169p per litre, which has led to drivers claiming they have been "taken for mugs" by expensive garages.

On Friday, the prices at the garage dropped even further to 167.9pm - which means it costs nearly 20p less for unleaded at Bailey's Garage on Brecon Road, Abergavenny, than the UK average.

According to RAC's fuel watch figures, unleaded now costs an average of 187.19p.

Drivers from 'all over' have been flocking to the family-run filling station (Media Wales)

The garage also sells cheaper diesel, with Bailey's selling it for 184.9p against a UK average of 195.88p, reports WalesOnline.

The garage's general assistant, Cerys Holland, said that since the price of their BP petrol went down two weeks ago it had been "bonkers" and the staff "don't stop".

Meanwhile, owner Ian Bailey said he was four times busier than he'd ever been before in the 50 years he'd run the garage - and had been left scratching his head as to why no-one else had dropped their prices.

He explained how he bought fuel every day on a system which set the cost of petrol and diesel based on the fluctuating prices of crude oil.

Diesel is also cheaper there (Media Wales)

As an independent business, he can then decide how much of a mark-up he puts on the price at the pump.

He added, matter-of-factly, that it seemed only fair that he shouldn't profiteer from the falling cost of fuel and was seemingly perplexed by the interest in his garage all of a sudden.

"I'm wondering as well why other people haven't dropped their prices," he said. "I can't see why we're so cheap.

"We've always been cheap. I could put it up to be the same as other garages and we would be laughing.

"But times are hard and we like to pass on the drop to the customer."

As an independent business, it can then decide how much of a mark-up is put on the price at the pump (WALES NEWS SERVICE)

After Bailey's Garage hit the headlines, other motorists have also been left perplexed as to why other garages and supermarkets have such high prices in comparison.

"No company would sell at a lower price and not make a profit at all. Just confirms that the price of fuel does not have to be as high as it is right now," wrote Jane Thomas.

Vivek Thuppil added: "I drove through Abergavenny over the weekend and can confirm that this outlet was 15-25p cheaper than all others.

"It is clear that the other stations are engaging in blatant profiteering."

Richard Loosemore thought the higher prices was evidence of "greed", while David Bland said it was down to "money-grabbing".

Chris Pointon thought other filling stations kept their costs high "because they know that plenty of people will still rock up and pay whether they are £1.99 or £1.79".

He continued: "Our most expensive petrol station is always packed, largely because poverty hasn't yet overtaken convenience."

Chris Willcock wrote: "I think all businesses etc have been ramping up prices to make up for losses during the pandemic," while Valerie Markwick praised Bailey's: "Shame it would cost me so much to go and fill up. Well done this garage."

Kelly Bunney thought the garage was setting a good example for other stations - and was a better incentive for them to drop costs than the fuel price protests.

"Well done," she said. "Hopefully others locally will be forced to follow suit if they start losing out to this garage, and then more and more. The blockades have done absolutely nothing so far, this helps."

In apparent disbelief, Howard Davies wrote: "Is the truth now out....have we all been taken for mugs!?"

Opal Wales suggested Bailey's low prices might, ultimately, be better for their business, writing: "Cheaper the price, more business, more profit overall. Hence how £ stores and Woolworths grew."

Michelle Swattridge suggested boycotting buying fuel from supermarkets that hadn't dropped their prices.

"Stop buying from them and buy from the smaller ones at the side of the road," she wrote.

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