St Clears service station named best forecourt in the UK

A petrol station in west Wales has been named the best in the UK.

MFG St Clears Service Station in St Clears, Carmarthenshire, won this year’s Forecourt Trader of the Year Award.

Manager Karen Doyle said she was “over the moon” to win the accolade.

“We’re all delighted – we’ve only been open coming up to twelve months, so it’s a great achievement,” she told BBC Radio Wales Breakfast.

The forecourt, which includes a coffee shop and food store, beat competitors from across the UK.

According to Ms Doyle, the toilets are particularly great.

“[The loos] are brilliant,” she said.

“We’ve got murals of fish all over the wall – they’re brilliant.”

But the award for the Best Forecourt Loo was actually won by Essar Lea Gate Service Station in Preston.

The annual awards are judged across a series of categories, with best overall forecourt taking all of these into account.

“The customer service I think is a huge thing, because you get a returning customer,” said Ms Doyle.

“We definitely get returning trade, and again with the lorry drivers now, with the HGVs, we see a lot of them on a daily basis if not every other day, to fill up and just pass the time of day.”

Other Welsh service stations also received some nods at this year’s awards.

Ascona Machynlleth was nominated for Best Food To Go Outlet and Best Valeting Services, Lewis of Llandrinio from Llanymynech was nominated for Best Forecourt Team, while Rontec Cardiff West Service Station was up for Best Motorway Services Outlet.

“We’re going to go for the full sweep next year,” said Ms Doyle.