Gardner Retail Ltd completes the sale of its shares to Roadside Real Estate plc

One of the largest independent and privately-owned petrol forecourt retailers in the South West, Gardner Retail Ltd has been serving the needs of Gloucestershire for nearly 60 years.

Clive Gardner, Chairman of Gardner Garages Ltd, has been involved in fuel retailing since the age of 16. Having left school during his A-Levels due to his elder brothers’ tragic death, Clive worked in his father’s business. In 1986, Clive began to expand his forecourt business operations with his wife Stella, and the couple have owned and leased forecourts in Churcham, Huntley, Cheltenham, Gloucester, Hucclecote, Worcester, Hereford, Trowbridge, Bristol, Colepit Heath and Salisbury.

Emma Gardner, Clive’s eldest daughter, has been actively involved for the past 25 years, and has served as Group Managing Director for over 15 years. Operations Director, Clive and Stella’s youngest son Ashton Gardner, has also been instrumental in the group’s growth over the last eight years.

The group’s portfolio consists of six petrol forecourts which collectively sell around 22 million litres of fuel per year. The company has excellent car valeting operations in Cheltenham, Trowbridge, Huntley and Salisbury, and the group’s award-winning sites employ approximately 85 staff, with many having worked with the Gardner family for several decades.

The company instructed Dave Morris, Regional Director at Christie & Co, to handle the sale process on a semi-confidential basis. Following strong interest and multiple offers being made, Roadside Real Estate PLC were selected as the preferred company to take the Gardner legacy forward and to work closely with the existing Gardner team who have successfully operated the businesses for many years.

Charles Dickson, CEO of Roadside Real Estate PLC, commented “This transaction marks the start of a new chapter in the execution of our strategy to build a high-quality portfolio of modern roadside retail assets and is a significant step in enhancing our competitive positioning.

“We are delighted to welcome the Gardner team to the Roadside family, and we look forward to working with them to achieve our future goals.”

Emma Gardner made the following comment regarding the sale process, on behalf of the Gardner family, “Selling a business as complex as ours is never straightforward, but Dave at Christie & Co managed the process exceptionally well from start to finish. His professionalism, resilience, and unwavering focus were instrumental in bringing the share sale to Roadside Real Estate plc to a successful conclusion, and we are extremely grateful for his guidance and support during such an important transaction for our family and the business.’’

Dave Morris of Christie & Co added, “The Gardners have built a fantastic business, and I am really pleased to have completed on the sale for the family. It is a significant acquisition for Roadside and now gives them a solid presence in the South West.”

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