Aidan wrote:But it's not just Shell. Mobil's closed one on Brighton Road. A few have gone from Marion Road, including the one (Liberty I think) that was once Adelaide's biggest. And IIRC two have gone from Darlington.
Is it matched by new ones opening? Or expanding? Is demand falling? Or was there just an oversupply of them before?
I don't think anything has replaced the Marion one, but it is a shame to see such a large independant gone.
As for Darlington, the first one to close was a Mobil, so I guess they found it pointless to keep 2 Mobils, then when they sold the other one to Caltex, I assume it still couldn't compete with the large BP that's just up the road.
Brighton Road doesn't seem to be replaced in the area either.
I would say there was just an over supply, and at some point (my guess would be 80's), there was just a thought that with no excessive taxes like we have now on petrol, there could never be too many stations, and that they'd all do excellently. Now with 130+c/L, everyone has to be more competitive, the smaller stores can no longer profit..