Fast-growing Top 50 Indie Ascona has added another acquisition to its estate.
It has bought the lease of Dorking BP Service Station for an undisclosed sum from husband and wife Mike and Kim Prior, who were looking to retire.
The forecourt has four fuel pumps and facilities include a car wash and ATM, and there is also a shop on the site which has a Costa machine, and comprises more than 750sq ft.
Under the previous owners it was a Spar but has been converted by Ascona to Best-one.
David Branch, director of Forecourts4sale, who acted for Ascona in the deal, anticipates a delay in transactions completing, due to professionals being restricted to work, but is still confident the market will emerge unscathed from the coronavirus clampdown.
He said: “At present, shop sales are up as households face lockdown, but fuel sales are down due to families staying at home and being discouraged from using their vehicles except for essential trips.
“Clearly, the whole situation is unprecedented and operators generally anticipate this slow period will last for around three months.
“Some forecourts have further struggled due to staffing issues triggered by the Government’s lockdown policy. Generally, however, an air of optimism still pervades and operators are anticipating buoyancy returning to the market before too long.
“All of us at Forecourts4sale are still exceptionally busy with valuations continuing to be requested.”
