Brian Madderson (53-63) turned 77 recently and had decided to finally retire at the end of this year, after 12 years, from his role as Chairman of the Petrol Retailers Association (PRA) and Board Member of the Retail Motor Industry Federation (RMIF). However, the fuel crisis has required him to work up to 15 hours per day since the panic buying started on 23 September. Since that time he has had interviews with all the major TV networks including the latest newcomer GB News with Nigel Farage, and both national and local radio stations.

Brian has also had regular daily briefings with the Secretary of State for Transport, Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP by personal Zoom calls and he has been one of the few industry invitees to the daily meetings held by the Secretary of State for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, Rt Hon Kwasi Kwarteng MP. The reason being that PRA represents the interests of all the independent forecourts across the UK which number approx. 5,500 or 65% of all forecourts. PRA Members have franchise arrangements for fuel supply with all the oil majors such as BP, Shell, Esso, Jet, Gulf and so on.

The PRA’s mission has been to provide accurate daily data on the stock levels at these sites and to try and persuade the motorist to return to their normal buying habits so the oil companies have time to fully replenish the much depleted forecourt stocks when so many sites ran dry within 48 hours of the frenzied buying commencing.