A DALES petrol station believed to be the first community-run venture of its kind is now supplying fuel round the clock thanks to a council grant.

The Dale Head Community Garage in Hawes has installed a terminal that can take credit and debit card payments, meaning petrol is available from the station all hours of the day and night.

The move has been made possible thanks to a £15,567 grant from Richmondshire District Council’s Economic Growth Fund.

It is hoped the machine will draw in out-of-hours customers who would have ventured out of the Dales in the past, and bring in extra people for the night time economy of the district.

Local businesses have already welcomed the new facility, especially those that have employees living locally but working away from Upper Wensleydale - it means they can extend their working hours knowing they can obtain fuel overnight ready for the next day’s work.

The Upper Dales Community Partnership – a not-for-profit community company - took over the running of the garage in November last year and has already seen a 40 per cent rise in business.

John Blackie, volunteer executive chairman, said: “Hawes is the very first deeply rural community in England to have a garage providing round the clock fuel – vital when due to our remoteness we are 60 miles from the nearest hospital for a critical life or death emergency health event.

“In the first three nights of our 24/7 launch we sold £1,300 of fuel - fuel that would have otherwise been bought elsewhere, or those needing it having to wait until we opened - which is incredible.

"We are also able to be very competitively priced due to a government subsidy because of the deep rurality of Hawes."