As soaring fuel prices continue to bite, one family-run filling station has offered some much-needed salvation by selling some of the cheapest petrol for miles, and it's led to drivers claiming they have been 'taken for mugs' by other garages charging far more. Drivers from "all over" have been flocking to Bailey's Garage in Brecon Road in Abergavenny ever since it started selling unleaded petrol for just 169p per litre.
On Friday morning, the prices dropped even further to 167.9p. It means it's almost 20p cheaper for unleaded at Bailey's Garage than the UK average (187.19p per litre, according to the RAC's fuel watch figures). The garage's cost for diesel is tempting for motorists too - the difference of 10.98p is less stark though still noticeable with Bailey's selling it for 184.9p against a UK average of 195.88p.
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.
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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. 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. You can get more cost of living news and other story updates straight to your inbox by subscribing to our newsletters here.
"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."
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 were plain "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 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. Robert Lomas added: "Drivers should remember the petrol stations that have ripped them off after this is over and only use the ones that have been supportive if they can."
But Carl Harvey thought it was unfair to force garages to drop their prices. He said: "No one is under any obligation to charge a specific price!.....its up to them to charge what they think is right and to make a profit. Do you start moaning because something is £10 cheaper at another store??"
Zander Van Der Phelps also pointed out fuel duty was to blame for soaring prices. "Don’t know why everyone’s spitting venom at the retailers when the government takes such a large chunk of it," he wrote. It comes as recent poll from FairFuelUK found that 83 percent of voters saw cutting fuel duty as a priority.
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