New store operator for Gull service stations

A South Island food retail franchise Night 'n Day has taken over the convenience store at the Gull service station in Tauranga's Hewletts Rd.
After a 10-year association, the Progressive Enterprises-owned Woolworths decided to pull out of the Gull petrol stations - and 24-hour operator Night'n Day Foodstore, with its distinctive blue and yellow colours, jumped at the opportunity.
"They [Progressive] decided convenience stores were no longer part of their core offering," said Gull NZ general manager, David Bodger.
Night 'n Day, established by Denise and Andrew Lane in 1990, is moving into 21 North Island Gull sites, including two in Rotorua and one in Whakatane.
The Hewletts Rd site is the first to be converted and local retailers Rex Turnbull and Sherryn Buck have taken up the franchise. All the Gull sites will eventually be franchised. Mr Bodger said Night 'n Day was an excellent fit. "They are experts in food service and convenience store operations, and bring a slightly different offering.
"You can still buy groceries - that emergency pack of sugar - but they place an emphasis on takeaway food, milk shakes, ice creams and coffee. It's food for people on the go and that suits busy Hewletts Rd - there's lots of workers going up and down servicing the port and other businesses," Mr Bodger said.
In 20 years, Night 'n Day has opened 28 stores in the South Island, including six in Christchurch and in Dunedin. Tauranga is the franchise company's first move into the North Island.
Mr Bodger said the minimum 4c a litre fuel discount voucher, for purchases of at least $40 at the Countdown, Foodtown and Woolworths supermarkets, would still apply at the Gull service stations.
Gull has also just opened its first un-manned service station in Tauranga at Merivale Motors, Fraser St.
Motorists use their credit card to obtain petrol and diesel at 4c a litre cheaper than other service stations in Tauranga.
Gull is planning to open four more un-manned stations in east Auckland, Hamilton, Taupo and Palmerston North.
Mr Bodger revealed that Gull made inquiries to take over the service station site on the other side of Hewletts Rd but was turned away by the Waikato-based property owners.
"We made contact when we heard it was closing down but just got a basic refusal," he said.
Caltex closed its service station in Hewletts Rd, and its convenience store is boarded up and emblazoned with graffiti.
There is no longer any petrol stations on the northern side of the road, and Caltex had nearly six years of the lease to run.