Expanding Murco takes over former Shell filling stations

FOUR former Shell filling stations have been bought out of administration and will now be operated by oil company Murco, which is expanding its foothold in Scotland, it emerged yesterday.

Murco – which has about 460 filling stations in England and Wales but only seven sites in Scotland – will operate the three stations in Cumbernauld and one in Clarkston, which employ 34 staff.

Express Service Stations, which previously owned the sites, collapsed into administration last month.

The properties have been bought by an unnamed Scottish investment vehicle but will be operated under the Murco brand.

Matt Henderson, a partner at accountancy firm Johnston Carmichael, was appointed as administrator and said Express hit financial difficulties last year.

Henderson was able to secure supplies of fuel to keep the four filling stations trading until Murco – which is owned by United States-based Murphy Oil Corporation – took over on Thursday.