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Support growing for
fuel buying boycott
Gazette and
Herald
12th August 2004
www.thisiswiltshire.co.uk
SUPPORT is believed to be growing
for a boycott of Lyneham patrol station tomorrow (August 13th),
but the managing director of the garage has told villagers
to buy more fuel if they want prices to come down.
The idea for the boycott of Chippenham Motors on the Chippenham
Road in Lyneham first appeared on the interactive forum
pages of the village website, two weeks ago. Disgruntled
villagers demanded to know why petrol was cheaper in neighbouring
villages and urged people to show their anger by buying their
fuel elsewhere.
Last week, protestors brandishing
placards told how they felt forced to travel into Swindon
to save money on their fuel bills. Since then, more and more
villagers have gone online to say they will be joining the
boycott tomorrow.
But Stephen Andrews, managing director of the Chippenham
Motor Company has also now logged-on to the site and refuted
claims that he is ripping off Lyneham-ites.
"What the members of the Lyneham community should do
is to use the Lyneham BP more, so that I can demand a better
deal from BP and pass on the savings." |
He continues "Please remember, BP does not own any of the
sites that you are talking about in your forum, they are all franchised
by BP to sell the fuel and BP, in conjunction with the world prices
for fuel, govern the cost prices that we have to pay." He challenges
members of the forum to guess how much his company profits from
a litre of petrol net of VAT, with £20 of free fuel to the
person who guesses correctly first.
A Lyneham resident stated: "Mr Andrews' marketing strategies
are a bit peculiar. We have continued to have lots of positive feedback
for the boycott and I believe many people will be making a stand
and not buying petrol there on Friday. We are serious about wanting
to make a stand on rising prices because we should not be penalised
for living here."
But not everyone supports the protest. Courier and Lyneham villager
Brad Matthews, said: "People should be supporting their village
resources, like the shop and the petrol garage. These people need
to make a living and if we want to keep these businesses here, we
should accept that we need to pay a little more."
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Gazette & Herald
www.thisiswiltshire.co.uk
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