Elf redesign to roll out from September

Service station chain Elf Oil UK is introducing a new retail design into three new sites. The new identity will be used for all future UK locations. Glasgow’s Ferguson Orr Associates won a paid pitch against London’s Circle Design and The Wiles Group for the work.

A prototype outlet will open in Hertfordshire in September, to be followed by Blackpool and Cardiff.

Elf will not extend the design to all of its 600 sites. “We have 50 to 60 shop refits per year, many of which will have the new design applied,” says Elf construction development manager Martin McCarthy. “Obviously, any new outlets will have the new look.”

The new look was prompted by a desire to keep up with rival chains BP and Shell, according to a spokeswoman for Ferguson Orr. Each new outlet will cost around 50 000 to implement. An outlet’s average size is 90m2.

“[Elf] wanted an updated image and shop format,” says senior designer Andy Geddes, who hopes that the design will encourage customers to browse. Lettering for the new name, Le Shop, is in yellow against Elf’s corporate colours of red and blue. Ferguson Orr sister company Seriously Visual contributed to the project.