MASTERTON petrol station Waggs has changed its stripes, from green to orange. The Dixon Street business, which is 115 years old, has switched its petrol franchise from BP to Petrol Alley Services, or GAS.
Owner-manager Pat Long, who bought the business with Adrian Berry in January last year, said the move
made economic sense.
Mr Long said BP was concentrating more on its own large service stations, and moving away from the smaller ones, which were "struggling a bit".
Negotiations with the new petrol provider began more than 18 months ago, Mr Long said, and "it turns out that it's worked."
"At the moment we are officially Petrol Alley."
Mr Long said Petrol Alley representatives "came to have a look at the set-up we have here, and they were more than happy."
The changeover involved removing all the green BP panels and signs, and replacing them with the orange GAS signs, as well as painting the outside of the building.
The BP-owned tanks and petrol pumps have now been bought by Waggs.
Previous owner Alan Bohm said BP had met with owners of smaller stations like Waggs to advise them of a change.
"BP was going to opt out of supply to those smaller dealers."
BP told the dealers they had met with Petrol Alley to arrange for a transfer of supply.
Waggs was given the option of buying the tanks and pumps off BP and on-selling them to Petrol Alley, buying them to keep, or having them removed.
Mr Bohm said he had wanted to keep the petrol station to fit the "supermarket" model of having car sales, repairs and petrol all operating from the same place.
Waggs of Masterton, officially known as Wagg and Harcombe Ltd, began as Thos Wagg Ltd in 1891 as a wheelwright's business, then branched into coachmaking, then automobile sales and service.
Petrol sales began under the Associated Motorists Petrol Company, which became Europa and then British Petroleum, or BP.
Meanwhile another longstanding Masterton petrol business has also had significant changes.
Caltex Chapel Street, formerly part of Nick's Auto Services, is no longer open for petrol sales 24 hours a day every day.
Owner-manager Karla Dudson said after studying the needs of customers she felt the business did not need to be open all night during the week, but is still open all night Fridays and Saturdays.
The business is now open from 4.45am until 11pm, which "suits the needs of our customers", Ms Dudson said.
The early opening was to accommodate forestry workers or early shift workers
"We think it's good business sense," Ms Dudson said.
Earlier this year the Caltex site had its petrol tanks and pumps replaced, becoming a Star Mart.
Waggs changes colours
MASTERTON petrol station Waggs has changed its stripes, from green to orange. The Dixon Street business, which is 115 years old, has switched its petrol franchise from BP to Petrol Alley Services, or GAS.
Owner-manager Pat Long, who bought the business with Adrian Berry in January last year, said the move
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