Jet set to go upmarket

Petrol station chain Jet will open the first trial site of a new forecourt and shop design by Light & Coley and Lumsden Design Partnership tomorrow.

After testing, the new concept may be rolled out across Jet’s 750 UK outlets. Each shop can be targeted at its neighbourhood through the inclusion or omission of certain features.

Light & Coley was originally brought in to review Jet’s forecourt signage. Consultancy design director Martin Seymour says: “The problem was Jet was associated with being cheap, but the brand could not compete on that basis any more because the supermarkets are taking over” – a point underlined last week by Asda’s announcement of a “no profits” policy for its petrol trading.

“Jet wanted instead to become a major player with the Shell’s and Esso’s and offer something more,” Seymour adds.

Light & Coley was told to retain the yellow and blue corporate colours but reversed what had been a yellow-dominated forecourt into one that was predominantly blue, with red highlighting.

Ten sites were researched and given the makeover last year. Jet then decided the shops also needed to be tackled and Light & Coley brought in Callum Lumsden. The two consultancies have previously collaborated on Automobile Association shops.

Their joint efforts have produced a new Jet shop, featuring new signage. “We wanted to make the shop a stronger retail environment and not an extension of the forecourt,” says Seymour. Images used in the internal signage were taken by photographer Michael Banks.

Special features, such as a bakery, are to be introduced where appropriate. The first trial site is at Leicester. A new-build site will follow at Walsall.

Callum Lumsden says: “In the shop we have used natural materials, curves and Light & Coley’s punchy graphics. The atmosphere rather than a heavy corporate branding gives the shop identity.”