Our £2m Stage service station project in Wigston, Leicester has won its industry’s biggest award, being named Forecourt Trader of the Year 2020.

Held annually, the Forecourt Trader Awards are the fuel retailer industry’s most prestigious accolades and after winning in the Midlands (over 4mlpa) category, The Stage also took home the night’s highest award.

Forecourt Trader magazine’s editor, Merril Boulton said: “With its huge pear-shaped, solar panel-covered canopy, spacious forecourt and 300m² building – encompassing a Spar convenience store, Insomnia barista coffee bar, seating area and ’healthy’ all-day food offer from Irish brand Freshly Chopped – as well as its many ‘green’ attributes, The Stage promises to stand out among today’s modern forecourt developments. Built during a pandemic, this project in Wigston is now taking ‘centre stage’ in the community.”

Aimed at setting a new precedent for service stations, our design for The Stage placed sustainability and healthy living at the forefront. Alongside our client, Hockenhull Garages, we devised a scheme that would not only be somewhere to refuel vehicles, but people and the community too. The Stage incorporates a dedicated café seating area, ideal for weary motorists or as a meeting point for locals, serving healthy food & drinks from emerging brands, Insomnia and Freshly Chopped.

The exterior was designed to make a similar impression. “The client really wanted to make the forecourt’s canopy into a feature, something really eye-catching,” explains our director, Dan Nestoruk. “With the site occupying a prominent corner plot we quickly realised this could take a really distinctive shape that would stand out from the traditional square layout. A curved, pear design with statement stanchions emerged, which also enabled us to add significant PV panels and therefore generate enough electricity for the site’s electric and hybrid vehicle charging points.