News / Penny for your fuel?
THE OWNERS of a country shop in Shetland are again slashing the price of fuel in protest of the high cost for an everyday commodity.
In March, Scott and Phoebe Preston, of Tagon Stores in Voe, hit the headlines when they dropped the price for diesel and petrol to UK mainland levels and sold 10,000 litres on a single day.
On average fuel prices are around 15 pence per litre higher in Shetland, and the Prestons made a huge loss with their protest, which however turned out to be a successful promotion for the small business they had just taken on.
Now they promise another bargain to keep the issue of increasing wholesale and taxation costs highlighted.
Mr Preston said this time fuel would be available for as little as 1 penny per litre, but only to one lucky customer.
He added the idea was to have a reverse secret auction: “Customers will have the opportunity to tell us what price they would like to pay per litre for fuel.
“Their bid is kept in a sealed box and at the end of trading on New Year’s Eve, the person placing the lowest unique bid will be the winner and will be able to fill up their tank for their bid price at their first fuel purchase in January.”
The customers who place the second and third lowest unique bids will receive 20p and 10p off the pump price respectively.
To enter the auction customers need to the visit the shop and make a payment of £1 per bid, 70p of which will be split equally between MS Shetland and the Cystic Fibrosis Trust. The remaining 30p will be retained by the shop.
Preston added that customers would be able to place bids from Saturday (29 December) until the shop closes on New Year’s Eve.
The winners will be announced on the shop’s Facebook page on New Year’s Day. People who don’t have Facebook can phone the shop on 01806 588286.
Finally, one lucky customer who has ‘liked’ the store’s Facebook page will be chosen to receive a 2p per litre discount voucher valid for a whole year at Tagon Stores.
Mrs Preston said that their exchanges with customers and local politicians have clearly demonstrated that fuel prices are too high.
“By reducing the cost paid by the lucky winners in this promotion, we are taking money away from the Chancellor’s pockets and putting it where it belongs at this time of year – with charities,” she said.
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