Ascona Group Acquire the Largest Scottish Petrol Filling Station Portfolio of 2025 in Statement Deal, brokered by Graham + Sibbald.
The portfolio which consists of five Esso and Shell branded operational petrol filling stations in the Aberdeenshire and Moray regions of Scotland has been sold by the leading Automotive and Roadside team at Graham + Sibbald. The transaction which completed for an undisclosed sum by way of a share-sale arrangement is acquired by the Top 10 independent operator Ascona Group as part of their significant growth strategy across the UK. This transaction marks Ascona’s largest portfolio deal to date since the business was founded in 2011 and brings their network up to 68 forecourts.
Manoj Tugnait, Property Director for Ascona Group commented “This acquisition marks an important milestone for Ascona as we continue to strengthen our presence across Scotland and the wider UK. The five sites we have acquired from the established Kessock Group, spanning from Inverness to Fraserburgh, offer strong customer bases and excellent long-term potential, increasing our Scottish portfolio to seven sites and growing.
My sincere thanks go to the Simpson family James, Pamela, Jenna, and Laura for their professionalism throughout the process. I would also like to acknowledge Graham + Sibbald, who assisted in the sale process, including Brogan Grier and Adam Fotheringham; the team at Geo2; Paul Stapleton and Matt Williamson at Avison Young; Paul Carr from Paul Carr Stocktakers; and our legal advisers at CMS, led by Frank Fowlie and his team, as well as the many others involved. Their collective expertise was instrumental in bringing this transaction to a successful conclusion.
We now look forward to welcoming the teams into the Ascona family and building on the success of these fantastic sites.”
Speaking about the sale, Brogan Grier, Director at Graham + Sibbald, who handled the deal said “I would like to express sincere thanks to the Simpson family, who put their trust in our advice during the whole transaction. This is one of the most significant deals to be done in the Scottish Forecourt market, which is a testament to their hard work in building up the business to the level they did. We trust the vendors are delighted with the pace of the transaction, and the simplicity of the handover – both are reflective of the Ascona team’s professionalism, but also the vendors commitment to the deal. The legal advisors were of great assistance; Frank Fowlie at CMS Legal and Fiona McKinnon at Anderson Strathern (and their respective teams), were proactive and pragmatic during the transaction.”
Graham + Sibbald wish Ascona the best of luck with the acquisition, and their future success in Scotland.
