MUCH fuel has flowed through the pumps at Forge Filling Station in Wormbridge since Gerald Statham took over the business in 1971.

Now nearly half a century later, the well-known proprietor is preparing to mark his retirement with a ‘surprise’ party.

“Someone let the cat out of the bag, so it’s not a surprise anymore!” says Gerald with a smile.

He will be celebrating at his local, the Kilpeck Inn, after serving motorists on the Hereford to Abergavenny road for 47 years. With a 70th birthday looming, Gerald is planning to join the travelling public himself in company with his wife, Margarette.

“You get stuck in your ways, it’s time for a younger person with a little more energy to take over,” he explains.

As the business, which includes a shop, is to be leased to his brother-in-law Karl Hawkins, the filling station will remain in the family.

“When we started in 1971 you could buy three gallons of petrol for a pound,” says Gerald. While the busy A465 brings plenty of business to his station, he notes that many small shops have had to shut up shop.

“It was easier when there was no competition from the supermarkets, they’ve destroyed an awful lot of small businesses,” he notes, praising the strong support he has received from the local community.

“I’d like to thank all my regular customers,” he says, looking forward to seeing many of them at his party. “It was a surprise that wasn’t kept,” he laughs. “My retirement was meant to be a surprise but someone let the cat out of the bag, and when the party was planned it escaped again!”

A Peterchurch farmer’s son, Gerald is happy to have “a few acres” where he and his wife keep horses – Margarette runs a tack business - sheep, donkeys and chickens.

Once a visiting chicken wandered into the filling station shop. “It must have come off a Sun Valley lorry, so that became a pet!” says Gerald. Another time a sheep turned up on their forecourt, and as she was never claimed, also joined the flock.

After nearly five decades of working, Gerald hopes to do lots of things he has never had time to do. “I shall take the wife out to dinner, we’ll have days off together and see some sites, play golf and go horse racing..

“There’ll be plenty to keep me occupied!”