Sainsbury's has confirmed plans to sell all eight of its petrol stations in Northern Ireland to Go Forecourts, bringing an end to its fuel business in the region. The supermarket giant has agreed a deal with Go Forecourts, which will take over the sites and make changes to how they operate.
Customers have been reassured that the petrol stations will remain open as normal while the handover takes place.
Locations and rebranding
The eight petrol stations are located in West Belfast, Bangor, Ballymena, Coleraine, Dungannon, Forestside, Sprucefield and Holywood Exchange.
Once the deal goes through, the sites will be rebranded under the Go name and converted into self-service petrol stations, allowing motorists to pay directly at the pump. The process is expected to take between six and 12 months, with each petrol station being transferred separately.
Job security and store expansion
Sainsbury's has also confirmed that no jobs will be lost as a result of the sale. Staff currently working at the affected petrol stations will remain employed by the supermarket and move into roles at nearby stores.
Caroline Holroyde, Sainsbury's director of petrol and kiosk, said: "This agreement represents a major opportunity to upgrade and modernise these sites with the investment that the acquisition will bring."
She added: "Over the coming months, we will prepare for our petrol stations in Northern Ireland to transfer to the new owner – in the meantime, they will continue to operate as normal for customers."
The sale means Sainsbury's will no longer operate petrol stations in Northern Ireland, although its supermarkets in the region are not affected. The retailer currently has 12 supermarkets in Northern Ireland and is planning to open two more.
Go Forecourts network expansion
One of the new stores is due to open in Omagh next month, while another is planned for Crescent Link Retail Park in Derry. Both are being developed at former Homebase sites as part of a multimillion-pound investment.
Meanwhile, Go Forecourts already operates 26 petrol stations across Northern Ireland, as well as 10 in the Republic of Ireland. The company, which is part of the LCC Group, will expand its network further once the Sainsbury's deal is completed. The amount paid for the eight petrol stations has not been disclosed.
