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Biker1
Interesting one this.
While supporting the principal of this, how can one boycott what is an essential commodity to most and has a pricing cartel in this area?
Drive to another town every time you need to fill up?
I would suspect that those who drive to other towns where fuel is cheaper as part of work etc. would already fill up there.
This leaves just those who need to fill up here who have no alternative.
Perhaps Mr. Swift-Half could explain better how this boycott is to be effected?
x2lls
QUOTE (Biker1 @ Jan 11 2013, 10:47 AM) *
Interesting one this.
While supporting the principal of this, how can one boycott what is an essential commodity to most and has a pricing cartel in this area?
Drive to another town every time you need to fill up?
I would suspect that those who drive to other towns where fuel is cheaper as part of work etc. would already fill up there.
This leaves just those who need to fill up here who have no alternative.
Perhaps Mr. Swift-Half could explain better how this boycott is to be effected?



If as you say, those that use the local forecourts would otherwise have to travel, boycotting would have to be very well organised.
Hit each one in turn of say, a month at a time?
MontyPython
If we all wrote to Sainsbury's and boycotted them on a Saturday for all shopping and repeated the following week for Tesco's the prices would quickly fall.
Andy Capp
Simply put, use the cheapest garage.

For those that routinely go to Reading or back, the Woolhampton (BP) and Padworth (Shell) garages seem to be cheaper than Newbury at the moment: about 131.9p for Unleaded IIRC.

Which brings me to another point. 0.9p pricing should be outlawed.
Biker1
QUOTE (Andy Capp @ Jan 11 2013, 12:51 PM) *
Simply put, use the cheapest garage.

Yes but the whole point of this suggested boycott is to reduce the prices in Newbury which ALL seem to higher than many other areas. In other words, in Newbury there is no "cheapest". No good for those who do not regularly drive out of the area.
QUOTE (Andy Capp @ Jan 11 2013, 12:51 PM) *
Which brings me to another point. 0.9p pricing should be outlawed.

Agreed! angry.gif
lordtup
Am I alone in my observation of the clientele of local forecourts ? The majority drive great big gas guzzling 4x4s , have not seen their feet in years and therefore are not aware that they are a cheap alternative to the car and think all they have to do is whine and some unseen deity will descend and make everything ok.

Yes Fuel is expensive, but get used to it , alternatives are in the wings but need a few years more in the development lab and by the time they become commercially viable the £10 / litre will have arrived.
I have sympathy for those who really have no other choice but if we hadn't consumed it in such a cavalier manner the price may be a little more stable .

Boycotts in this instance will solve nothing because no one in their right mind is going to drive 10 miles in order to save a couple of bob per gallon.

Start walking or buy a bike and see how much money that saves , you will be pleasantly surprised . wink.gif
Biker1
QUOTE (lordtup @ Jan 11 2013, 02:26 PM) *
Am I alone in my observation of the clientele of local forecourts ? The majority drive great big gas guzzling 4x4s

Really???
QUOTE (lordtup @ Jan 11 2013, 02:26 PM) *
Yes Fuel is expensive, but get used to it

Just like all transport is, but people are not being particularly receptive of higher train fares so why should they not feel the same about fuel prices?
QUOTE (lordtup @ Jan 11 2013, 02:26 PM) *
Start walking or buy a bike and see how much money that saves , you will be pleasantly surprised . wink.gif

Agreed, but does not explain or address the difference in fuel prices depending on locality which is what we are discussing here.
motormad
QUOTE (lordtup @ Jan 11 2013, 01:26 PM) *
Am I alone in my observation of the clientele of local forecourts ? The majority drive great big gas guzzling 4x4s , have not seen their feet in years and therefore are not aware that they are a cheap alternative to the car and think all they have to do is whine and some unseen deity will descend and make everything ok.


You really are out of touch with reality.
GMR
To answer the headlines of this thread; no. I usually use Sainsbury's petrol station. I am not running all over the country just to find cheap petrol. Of course if I am out of this area and need petrol then I will go to the nearest station.
badger
Curridge is better priced as is the Shell out at Speen way. Shant be boycotting just because some politician is telling me to do so.... unless he is going to give up his expenses and put them towards the dwindling Council services?
GMR
QUOTE (badger @ Jan 11 2013, 05:33 PM) *
Curridge is better priced as is the Shell out at Speen way. Shant be boycotting just because some politician is telling me to do so.... unless he is going to give up his expenses and put them towards the dwindling Council services?





The trouble is who has a lot of money and petrol to drive around looking for the cheapest place (which is a contradiction)? tongue.gif
MontyPython
An alternative would be to write to the main players and advise them that we were going to ask the "Office of Fair Trading" to investigate potential price fixing.

I seem to recall the last time they were under investigated the disparity between regions reduced considerably - Just a remarkable coincidence of course!
On the edge
QUOTE (Biker1 @ Jan 11 2013, 01:36 PM) *
.....Just like all transport is, but people are not being particularly receptive of higher train fares so why should they not feel the same about fuel prices?...


Quite agree, but its just twittering. No one has done anything about sky high train fares locally, just accepted the increase. Newbury Town community charge payers cough up more than Greenham, Shaw or Thatcham, they just accept the situation. Why is petrol any different? Richard Benyon an MP and Minister has apparently been talking to the petrol companies, to no avail. So outlook doesn't look too good for Mr Swift-Hook's campaign. The bandwagon he's jumped on has a puncture!
GMR
QUOTE (On the edge @ Jan 11 2013, 06:08 PM) *
Quite agree, but its just twittering. No one has done anything about sky high train fares locally, just accepted the increase. Newbury Town community charge payers cough up more than Greenham, Shaw or Thatcham, they just accept the situation. Why is petrol any different? Richard Benyon an MP and Minister has apparently been talking to the petrol companies, to no avail. So outlook doesn't look too good for Mr Swift-Hook's campaign. The bandwagon he's jumped on has a puncture!



Totally agree.
Andy Capp
I'm no big fan of Swift-Half, but I see no problem in his trying to keep the issue in the public's consciousness. I wonder how 'his' community radio idea is fairing!
Simon Kirby
QUOTE (Andy Capp @ Jan 11 2013, 07:03 PM) *
I'm no big fan of Swift-Half, but I see no problem in his try to keep the issue in the public's consciousness. I wonder how 'his' community radio idea is fairing!

I rather think Swift-Half's idea is to keep himself in the public consciousness with this stunt. I wonder if he'd be quite so happy if the NWN ran a headline urging a boycot of the Town Council that lurches under his leadership from failure to failure. We can all exercise our right to buy fuel from whatever garage we choose, but we are obliged by law to pay for the feckless Town Council - 100's of thousands of pounds each year on vanity projects, waste, and non-jobs.
Andy Capp
QUOTE (Simon Kirby @ Jan 11 2013, 08:09 PM) *
I rather think Swift-Half's idea is to keep himself in the public consciousness with this stunt. I wonder if he'd be quite so happy if the NWN ran a headline urging a boycot of the Town Council that lurches under his leadership from failure to failure. We can all exercise our right to buy fuel from whatever garage we choose, but we are obliged by law to pay for the feckless Town Council - 100's of thousands of pounds each year on vanity projects, waste, and non-jobs.

Careful. Think blue skies, green grass, butterflies dancing on a warm breeze in summer... tongue.gif


Hear, hear BTW! wink.gif
Simon Kirby
QUOTE (Andy Capp @ Jan 11 2013, 08:19 PM) *
Careful. Think blue skies, green grass, butterflies dancing on a warm breeze in summer... tongue.gif


Hear, hear BTW! wink.gif

You're right. biggrin.gif
Sherlock
QUOTE (GMR @ Jan 11 2013, 05:51 PM) *
The trouble is who has a lot of money and petrol to drive around looking for the cheapest place (which is a contradiction)? tongue.gif


You don't need to: this is usually pretty up to date. http://www.petrolprices.com/

Let's hope that our MP learns a lesson from this about the nature of free markets and competition.

Businesses will rig prices to maximise profits and avoid competition if they possibly can: they always have and they always will.

When Mr Benyon (and his Libdem mates) looks at all the local businesses charging exactly the same amount, to the .9 of a penny perhaps he will ask himself* whether it really makes sense to hand over a tsunami of public cash to private sector firms which are queuing up to run the NHS, police, prisons, benefits system etc etc.

* he won't, obviously
On the edge
QUOTE (Sherlock @ Jan 12 2013, 08:15 AM) *
You don't need to: this is usually pretty up to date. http://www.petrolprices.com/

Let's hope that our MP learns a lesson from this about the nature of free markets and competition.

Businesses will rig prices to maximise profits and avoid competition if they possibly can: they always have and they always will.

When Mr Benyon (and his Libdem mates) looks at all the local businesses charging exactly the same amount, to the .9 of a penny perhaps he will ask himself* whether it really makes sense to hand over a tsunami of public cash to private sector firms which are queuing up to run the NHS, police, prisons, benefits system etc etc.

* he won't, obviously


But then some of us old 'uns might be reminding them that life with nationalised industries wasn't always a bed of roses!
Biker1
QUOTE (On the edge @ Jan 12 2013, 09:23 AM) *
But then some of us old 'uns might be reminding them that life with nationalised industries wasn't always a bed of roses!

Goodness me OTE are you saying that things were worse under BR than now under good old FGW!! tongue.gif
Sherlock
QUOTE (On the edge @ Jan 12 2013, 08:23 AM) *
But then some of us old 'uns might be reminding them that life with nationalised industries wasn't always a bed of roses!


That's not the choice though, is it? There are badly run public sector owned organisations and there are many badly run private sector ones now. Many countries run highly efficient public sector owned enterprises: China owns most of America as a result. Often, nationalised industries failed due to political/civil service. Put good people in charge of a nationalised business and they'll run it well.

The government's private sector good/public sector bad mantra isn't based on evidence: it's just a dogmatic assertion. Where's the evidence that shysters like G4S (currently taking over prisons and many police functions in spite of having had to be bailed out of their Olympics megashambles by the armed forces and police) and crooks like A4E can actually run public services more efficiently?

Apologies for the rant but this is serious stuff. A cobbled together government with no real mandate is pushing through the biggest transfer of public assets to private hands in the UK's history. We ought, at the very least, be asking questions about whether this really is the right thing to do.
badger
QUOTE (GMR @ Jan 11 2013, 05:51 PM) *
The trouble is who has a lot of money and petrol to drive around looking for the cheapest place (which is a contradiction)? tongue.gif

I dont drive around. I get a regular email from some organisation or other that tells me the current local prices. simples.
Andy Capp
QUOTE (GMR @ Jan 11 2013, 05:51 PM) *
The trouble is who has a lot of money and petrol to drive around looking for the cheapest place (which is a contradiction)? tongue.gif

You can do that when you're out on you bike checking up on the 'green meanies'!

QUOTE (Sherlock @ Jan 12 2013, 08:15 AM) *
You don't need to: this is usually pretty up to date. http://www.petrolprices.com/

Let's hope that our MP learns a lesson from this about the nature of free markets and competition.

Businesses will rig prices to maximise profits and avoid competition if they possibly can: they always have and they always will.

When Mr Benyon (and his Libdem mates) looks at all the local businesses charging exactly the same amount, to the .9 of a penny perhaps he will ask himself* whether it really makes sense to hand over a tsunami of public cash to private sector firms which are queuing up to run the NHS, police, prisons, benefits system etc etc.

* he won't, obviously

If companies are not allowed to make healthy profits, who's going to pay for pensions?
Andy Capp
DP
On the edge
QUOTE (Biker1 @ Jan 12 2013, 09:08 AM) *
Goodness me OTE are you saying that things were worse under BR than now under good old FGW!! tongue.gif

Exceptions prove the rule!! tongue.gif
On the edge
QUOTE (Sherlock @ Jan 12 2013, 10:00 AM) *
That's not the choice though, is it? There are badly run public sector owned organisations and there are many badly run private sector ones now. Many countries run highly efficient public sector owned enterprises: China owns most of America as a result. Often, nationalised industries failed due to political/civil service. Put good people in charge of a nationalised business and they'll run it well.

The government's private sector good/public sector bad mantra isn't based on evidence: it's just a dogmatic assertion. Where's the evidence that shysters like G4S (currently taking over prisons and many police functions in spite of having had to be bailed out of their Olympics megashambles by the armed forces and police) and crooks like A4E can actually run public services more efficiently?

Apologies for the rant but this is serious stuff. A cobbled together government with no real mandate is pushing through the biggest transfer of public assets to private hands in the UK's history. We ought, at the very least, be asking questions about whether this really is the right thing to do.


Couldn't agree more! Ironically, the 1930's independent public board model worked, for instance, BBC, London Transport, Imperial Airways, and Central Electricity Board. You are quite right that the failure came when politicians and trades unions were able and started to meddle. Market forces might be a great idea in theory; but the wise guys don't ever recognise that in practice markets comprise of spivs and wide boys. Nothing will change until we get some integrity both sides of the counter.
Simon Kirby
QUOTE (Sherlock @ Jan 12 2013, 08:15 AM) *
You don't need to: this is usually pretty up to date. http://www.petrolprices.com/

Let's hope that our MP learns a lesson from this about the nature of free markets and competition.

Businesses will rig prices to maximise profits and avoid competition if they possibly can: they always have and they always will.

When Mr Benyon (and his Libdem mates) looks at all the local businesses charging exactly the same amount, to the .9 of a penny perhaps he will ask himself* whether it really makes sense to hand over a tsunami of public cash to private sector firms which are queuing up to run the NHS, police, prisons, benefits system etc etc.

* he won't, obviously

Sorry, but what?

The site you reference tells me that you can buy diesel within 10 miles of Newbury (and I'm guessing that probably at the M4 service station) at 149.9p/litre, which is relatively expensive. But then you can also buy diesel within 10 miles of Newbury at 140.9p/litre, which is relatively cheap, so there's no price fixing, it's just different places charge different amounts for the same thing. Like everything else.

And Swift-Hook wants you to boycot the garage selling diesel at 140.9p/litre? Why?

Sure, say you you drive to Winchester, there's a garage there selling diesle for 138.9p/litre, but if you don't do your research you might also fill up at one of the Winchester garages selling diesel for 143.9p/litre, so there's no great anti-Newbury conspiracy going on.

So say you commute to Winchester, if your car does the same ecconomy as my Volvo you'll be spending around £25 per week on diesel, so yes, compared to Newbury's cheapest service station you could save 35p each week if you filled up at Winchester's cheapest, but Julian Swift-Hook could save you way more than that on your council tax if he addressed just some of the inefficiency at the Town Council that he leads.
Jayjay
Five came up for my postcode (central Newbury). Four out of the five (Shell, Tesco, Chievley and Falkland) are all charging £133.9
GMR
QUOTE (Andy Capp @ Jan 12 2013, 11:00 AM) *
You can do that when you're out on you bike checking up on the 'green meanies'!



Not really; I cycle locally; i.e. stay within Newbury. I am not that energetic or enthusiastic to cycle further. Besides, 'green meanies' walk at a slower pace and within Newbury laugh.gif wink.gif
gel
RELATED article here re predatory pricing; could we have some please!!

Telegraph article
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