Marks & Spencer

Petrol stations are becoming a rarity in the suburbs of London, not because people are scared of living near a huge amount of combustible fuel, but because of market forces driving down the profit margin, the growth of the supermarket petrol stations and the huge oil brands squeezing the independents. Once Kingston Road had three gas stations within a one mile stretch with this one in the middle. Today this BP station at Wimbledon Chase is the only one which survives.
Owned and operated under the British Petroleum flag, this one survived in part because it is close to the junction with the A3, because it diversified always. At one point it was a 7-​eleven and now not only is it one of BP’s Wild Bean cafes, but a small Marks and Spencer’s supermarket. Proof, one would see that Wimbledon Chase is moving up in the world, or maybe the motorists passing through would stop at an M&S. Proof will be in the longevity of the petrol station.