A RYDE forecourt has become the first on the Isle of Wight to be awarded a newly-launched gold standard site safety sticker.

Harwood's Garage, Wootton Bridge, has been awarded the badge of honour after an exemplary health and safety audit, with inspectors scoring the Gulf site 97.3 per cent.

The new scheme ­— masterminded by forecourt compliance experts, Suresite Group ­— awards petrol stations achieving a score of at least 80 per cent a blue window sticker, while those scoring 95 per cent and above are entitled to display a gold standard accreditation.

The forecourt is the first on the Island to receive a gold rating since the window sticker scheme was rolled out in the summer. Each sticker valid for 12 months.

Sue Hodgson, fuel and forecourt operations manager at Harwood's Garage, said: “Our new window badge is the forecourt equivalent of a five star food hygiene rating sticker on a restaurant or a fast food outlet, and it gives our customers the confidence that we are a safe site.

“We are proud of the hard work and achievements of our staff team, who will continue to make a visit to our site a safe and enjoyable one.”

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