Euro Garages HQ

Plans for Euro Garages’s new HQ in Blackburn

The new headquarters of Euro Garages has been given the go-ahead by Blackburn with Darwen Council.

The forecourt operator will set up the new base next to Fishmoor Reservoir on Haslingden Road.

The three-storey office block and two drive-through restaurants will create about 300 jobs.

It will feature a staff canteen, meeting and conference facilities, and private and open-plan offices.

It also includes parking for 349 cars, 26 bicycles, and 17 disabled spaces.

Euro Garages founders Zuber and Mohsin Issa submitted the application under its development company, Monte Blackburn.

Zuber Issa said the new base will “support our continued plans for expansion”.

“Not only does this benefit our existing staff, it will support our aspirations to create new jobs in the town,” he said.

The Issa brothers started Euro Garages 22 years ago with a £150,000 site in Bury. The firm is now the EU’s largest independent fuel retailer, with annual sales of £5bn, after it merged with European Forecourt Retail Group in October 2016. At the time, the deal valued the business at £1.3bn.

It now has more than 330 sites across the UK and has partner brands with Sainsbury’s, Starbucks, Greggs, KFC, Subway and Spar.

Planning consultancy firm PWA Planning helped Euro Garages secure permission for the new build.

PWA senior planner Emily Robinson said: “This will be a significant development for the town. It will deliver new economic growth opportunities in line with Blackburn with Darwen’s aspirations for the wider allocated Waterside employment site.

“We worked closely with Euro Garages, officers at the council and other local stakeholders to secure a positive outcome and we look forward to seeing this development starting on site soon.”