Why is it so hard to buy diesel?

[nicknorman]

We're coming north from Oxford and getting quite low on diesel. I was rather hoping to get some from Dusty, but it was tied up at Lower Heyford with no-one on board.

So next stop Oxfordshire Narrowboats just around the corner. Pulled in and had a short discussion with the lady in the shop about prices and splits, and then I said "OK I'd like 50 litres at 50:50 split please". To which she replied that she couldn't serve me, I'd have to wait for the "supervisor" who was off site, back in maybe 20 or 30 minutes. Well I really didn't want to wait around for an indefinite period just to be allowed to buy some of their rather over-priced diesel (85p, when it's 65p at our marina) so we left. But what a way to run a business! I then remembered that it was an Oxfordshire Narrowboats hire boat that was moored behind us in Oxford a few weeks ago, having a very noisy student-type party in full swing at 3:30am and thus making a godawful racket even after I'd asked them to try to be less noisy (they were very drunk). An email of complaint to the hire company just got a standard "not really interested" pasted response. So in fact with hindsight I was rather glad we hadn't given them our money.

Next stop Aynho Wharf. We pulled in, tied up and I went into the shop and asked for some diesel (even though it too was 85p!). The lady was doing some admin and said she'd be with us shortly (no rush, I thought!). She came out with a clipboard and wrote down the name and index number on the side of our boat. She started unlocking the diesel pump and then I said "The refuelling point is on the offside gunnel, if you like I'll hang off the side and refuel it". To which she said "In that case I can't sell you diesel, the EA don't allow it, we can't even let boaters do it". If some was spilled we'd be in big trouble" etc. Well we've had this boat for 7 years now and I've never heard that one before. Refuelled on the offside plenty of times. I expressed my incredulity and there was a bit of an exchange and finally she said that there was a winding point just along the way and I could turn the boat round. Well by then I was pissed off and said that I thought the whole thing was ridiculous and we'd get our diesel elsewhere. I was visibly irritated but I didn't shout or swear at her. We untied, she disappeared towards the workshop. Just as we were pulling away a big bruiser of a guy came striding towards us. He looked as if he wanted to say something so I hit reverse and when the boat stopped I said "did you want to say something?" To which he said "I don't want to say anything", but angrily. I said "Well we'll f-off then" and put it into gear. I suppose he might have thought I said he was to f-off but anyway he stared shouting and swearing for us to f-off etc. And of course I am not one to fail to reciprocate at such times! He had steam coming out of his ears and looked like a blood vessel was about to burst and was telling me to "come here and say that", and that I was a coward for not doing so. What a way to run a business! Anyway, that's them off my future list of diesel suppliers - I don't want to do business with violent thugs!

In hindsight and if the EA dictat is true, why not put a sign up saying boats with gunnel fillers can only be refuelled bankside? Why not lead with the suggestion of turning the boat round in the very adjacent turning point, rather than with several exchanges of "we won't refuel you"? What a way to run a business, no wonder they need to make such a huge profit on their diesel!

Any suggestions as to where to get diesel now (approaching Banbury)?

[MartinC]

Sovereign in Banbury but I think they only open on Fridays! After that Fenny Compton.

[BEngo]

Is there not diesel at Cropredy marina?

N

[David Schweizer]

Just as you leave Banbury, there is a small boatyard on the off side, used to be quite reasonable, but restricted opening hours (and days!)

 

P.S. my wife says you are as grumpy as me!!

Edited August 30, 2017 by David Schweizer

[nicknorman]

Sovereign narrowboats  - only open on Fridays! What a way to ...etc!

[dmr]

Sovereign in Banbury has not sold diesel for a while now, think they have rented out the service berth as a mooring. Fenny are usually relatively cheap if you can wait that long.

and Sovereign had a most unusual American style pump that has now gone

..............Dave

Edited August 30, 2017 by dmr
more stuff added

[nicknorman]

Just phoned Cropredy marina. Very friendly and helpful and 70p a litre so clearly it's a good thing I fell out with Aynho and ON! There is a god!

Edited August 30, 2017 by nicknorman

[David Schweizer]

6 minutes ago, dmr said:

Sovereign in Banbury has not sold diesel for a while now, think they have rented out the service berth as a mooring. Fenny are usually relatively cheap if you can wait that long.

and Sovereign had a most unusual American style pump that has now gone

..............Dave

Haven't been there for a few years, they used to close early (about 4pm if I remember) and the woman in the office used to get grumpy if you arrived less than half an hour before closing time!

 

 

Edited August 30, 2017 by David Schweizer

[OldGoat]

Perhaps Dusty has captured all the market!

[nicknorman]

1 minute ago, OldGoat said:

Perhaps Dusty has captured all the market!

I always struggle with fuel boats, never seem to be in the right place at the right time. When we came down the Oxford in July we did encounter Dusty but they didn't want to sell me any diesel because it was near the end of their run and they had specific orders to fulfil which would use up the remains of their tank. They were very pleasant about it though.

[mrsmelly]

19 minutes ago, OldGoat said:

Perhaps Dusty has captured all the market!

We pay more here on the Oxford which of course Nick will not be used to as he is from the lower class " Midlands " someone has to moor there I suppose. I pay around 70 p I think though I never check to be honest and its delivered monthly by Dusty to my boat. He looks after all of us and doesn't care about payment as we all pay whenever we see him. He also replaces at no cost extra gas cylinders as part of his service. Good service. He is holidaying till next month. Poor old Nick seems to have had a bad time of it though.

[nicknorman]

7 minutes ago, mrsmelly said:

Poor old Nick seems to have had a bad time of it though.

Well as it turns out, it's all for the good since we are going to fill up at 70p a litre instead of 85p!

[Athy]

Sovereign was sold about 2 years ago and the new owner did indeed remove the diesel pump. I am sure that he must have had sound business reasons for doing so as, in addition to passing trade, Sov. is also a small marina with about 15 or 20 moored boats which all, of course, require diesel. At least one CWDFer moors there and we spent about a year there. Perhaps they want to avoid the expense of having a member of staff on site to sell the diesel.

Cropredy Marina does sell diesel and we have found the staff efficient and friendly. There was local opposition to the marina, but it seems to have settled down now.

Fenny Marina sells it too, but please note that they are closed Sundays and Mondays. Also, their former large, well-stocked chandlery is no more, as that section of the building is being converted into a shower and toilet black for their moorers. There is now a small, limited chandlery on the right as you enter the building.

We have not seen the "new Dusty" for at least a year; perhaps he no longer comes as far North as Cropredy.

[Tony Brooks]

1 hour ago, David Schweizer said:

Haven't been there for a few years, they used to close early (about 4pm if I remember) and the woman in the office used to get grumpy if you arrived less than half an hour before closing time!

 

 

Never known her anything else. I try to avoid.

[MtB]

I wonder if this is the 'I hate Hudsons' problem some people seem to have, predisposing some boatyard staff to being less helpful than they might otherwise be. 

[nicknorman]

30 minutes ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

I wonder if this is the 'I hate Hudsons' problem some people seem to have, predisposing some boatyard staff to being less helpful than they might otherwise be. 

You'd think that if she had an awareness of Hudsons, she would know that they have the refuelling point on the port gunnel. Well I presume the ones with trad engine rooms do too? I don't think she knew much about boats, just about how to rip off or offend their owners!

[Alan de Enfield]

It is not actually difficult to buy diesel - you just have to accept the suppliers conditions.

If you think you are in a world where the 'customer is King' you need to re-think.

[dor]

5 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

It is not actually difficult to buy diesel - you just have to accept the suppliers conditions.

If you think you are in a world where the 'customer is King' you need to re-think.

And like so many businesses which think they are more important than their customers or understanding what customer service is, they will eventually go bust and then look to blame anyone but themselves.

[Nightwatch]

The 'large' 'lady' left Fenny about three years ago now. The owner now runs it and I have found him to be a pleasant enough bloke. Chatty and helpful. The chandlery didn't make money. Business sense to close or reduce it. I have often thought that with the 'right' person running it,it could make money. 

The chandelry at Greenham Island on the K&A is closing soon as well.

It beats me why there's so many unreasonably people running canal side businesses.

[dmr]

13 minutes ago, Nightwatch said:

The 'large' 'lady' left Fenny about three years ago now. The owner now runs it and I have found him to be a pleasant enough bloke. Chatty and helpful. The chandlery didn't make money. Business sense to close or reduce it. I have often thought that with the 'right' person running it,it could make money. 

The chandelry at Greenham Island on the K&A is closing soon as well.

It beats me why there's so many unreasonably people running canal side businesses.

Does anybody know what has happened at Newbury?, the business appeared to be expanding, or at least cramming more and more stock into a very small space.

I spoke to another very good chandler recently who said trade was steadily declining, most likely due to boaters getting more stuff off the internet and only using the chandlers for emergencies. He said paint sales had declined most severely.

............Dave 

[Athy]

24 minutes ago, Nightwatch said:

The 'large' 'lady' left Fenny about three years ago now. The owner now runs it and I have found him to be a pleasant enough bloke. Chatty and helpful. The chandlery didn't make money. Business sense to close or reduce it. I have often thought that with the 'right' person running it,it could make money. 

 

I found that if one was polite to the large lady, she was polite back. I did get the impression that she did not suffer fools at all, never mind gladly.

We were served, when buying diesel at the marina 2 weeks ago, by a medium-sized lady with a pleasant manner and an appealing South African accent.

How do you know that the chandlery didn't make money?

[MtB]

The stock is always the same stuff!

[David Schweizer]

12 minutes ago, Athy said:

I found that if one was polite to the large lady, she was polite back. I did get the impression that she did not suffer fools at all, never mind gladly.

We were served, when buying diesel at the marina 2 weeks ago, by a medium-sized lady with a pleasant manner and an appealing South African accent.

How do you know that the chandlery didn't make money?

I didn't even get the chance to speak, she just launched into me saying it was a bit late to expect diesel, it was 3.35 pm and the sign stated closes at 4pm. I wouid have moved on if I thought I might find somewhere else before 5pm. I apologised if i was a bit late and offered to do ity myself, which she refused, but I did get my diesel even though it was delivered in a most begrudging manner. She left and locked the office before 4pm so was obviously in a hurry.

 

 

 

 

 

[Midnight]

3 hours ago, mrsmelly said:

We pay more here on the Oxford which of course Nick will not be used to as he is from the lower class " Midlands " someone has to moor there I suppose. I pay around 70 p I think though I never check to be honest and its delivered monthly by Dusty to my boat. He looks after all of us and doesn't care about payment as we all pay whenever we see him. He also replaces at no cost extra gas cylinders as part of his service. Good service. He is holidaying till next month. Poor old Nick seems to have had a bad time of it though.

Being from the 'slums' in the North we pay 48p but it's a boat club so can only supply 20 litres to non-members and only in an emergency. I did find a relatively cheap boatyard on the Coventry (can't remember where) but the only split was d80 / c20 which was still a better deal than some of those upper class rich places on the South Oxford.

Ironically I was served by a very friendly Mackem at Aynho on the way down. Can't think why Nick would have trouble with anyone?

Edited August 30, 2017 by Midnight

[David Schweizer]

1 minute ago, Midnight said:

Being from the 'slums' in the North we pay 48p but it's a boat club so can only supply 20 litres to non-members and only in an emergency. I did find a relatively cheap boatyard on the Coventry (can't remember where) but the only split was d80 / c20 which was still a better deal than some of those upper class rich places on the South Oxford.

Ironically I was served by a very friendly Mackem at Ayno on the way down. Can't think why Nick would have trouble with anyone?

The service at Ayho has always been very hit and miss, especially if you wanted to buy anything "unusual" like bread or milk!"!