A Powys petrol station was recognised with an award just over a year after opening, handed to them by TV presenter Ben Shephard.

Ascona Service Station in Machynlleth was presented with an award by Ben Shephard of ITV’s ‘Tipping Point’ and ‘This Morning’, at the Forecourt Trader Awards.

The awards ceremony, held on Thursday, October 10, saw representatives from the Machynlleth business travel down to London’s Westminster Park Plaza hotel where they won in the West Country and Wales up to 4mlpa category, receiving the award in front of 720 people at the ceremony.

Describing the Machynlleth station, Juliet Morris of Forecourt Trader said: “After a £3 million reconstruction last year, Ascona Machynlleth has established itself as a community champion that also caters for the many tourists who visit this stunning part of west Wales every summer.

“The Texaco site includes an eye-catching Nisa Local store with a Starbucks concession and seating area with phone charging. There is also a UPS parcel service.

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“Community and environmental initiatives include providing unsold food to food banks or discounting it via the Too Good to Go app, as well as funding the town’s Christmas lights.”

The full list of winners from the awards can be found here. 

The award comes just over a year after the station re-opened following a £3 million renovation that took over six months to complete.

During the six month hiatus, fuel services in Machynlleth were non-existent as the old Texaco station on Doll Street was demolished to make room for the full rebuild, which began in February 2023.

READ MORE: Powys petrol station opens after six months of construction

Ascona labelled the redevelopment as “extensive”, promising to bring an increased number of fuel pumps, an HGV lane and car wash facilities to the area.

During the long wait for closer fuel services, the late county councillor Mike Williams praised the overhaul and importance of an up to date, modern fuel station

He said in 2023: “It’s important to have an up to speed, modern service station, with facilities for any kind of motorist.

“If closure is what’s needed then so be it, but a six month inconvenience will be worth a long term commitment from a fully up to date station that will hopefully give the town many years of quality service.

“Any organisation willing to invest £3 million in a new facility is clearly in it for the long haul, and with 12 new jobs on offer that definitely seems like a boost for the town.”