Author's product rating: 
| Advantages: |
Everything i need in a garage and more |
| Disadvantages: |
None that i can think of |
| Recommend to potential buyers: |
yes |
Long Riston is a lovely little village half way between Skirlaugh and Leven on the main Hull to Bridlington road the A165. It was a standing joke for many years that while passing through the village if you blink you miss it. Then in 1986 the council decided to build a bypass and now the phrase really is very true.
In the village there is a primary / infant school, a lovely little church and a village hall, but no longer is there a village post office or shop.
In the main street there used to be a garage which can only be described as a small shed with a couple of petrol pumps at the front. This was owned and run by Len Blake, he would sell petrol, do up cars etc. When the bypass opened, there was no longer the passing trade for this quaint little business to survive, so the family decided to buy a piece of land near the new road and they built a very nice garage with a large
forecourt with Len's son Malcolm now being in charge.
The garage back then was called Q8 and it traded under that name for a fair few years, you were able to collect points when you bought your fuel and exchange these for gifts out of a catalogue. In the forecourt shop you could buy a small selection of crisps, chocolate, sweets, drinks for your journey as well as an odd bottle of screen wash, tin of oil or a car freshener, but that was about it.
You could also get your car washed either by using the new car wash unit and have a blow dry and a hot wax as well, or you could use the water pump with the car brush attached to it. There was also a car vacumn and an air pump for your tyres.
At the side of the forecourt garage there was a side garage attached to it that you could get your car fixed at. I'm not sure if this is still here today.
Today things are slightly different, it is still Malcolm Blake who owns the garage but now it is run under the name of Q Jet Oasis. Being in the middle of nowhere on a long stretch of road it is easy to see why the name Oasis came to mind and it is so apt.
You can still buy all your usual petrols, your unleaded, diesels etc. There are towels available in a dispenser near the pumps should you get dirty while filling your car up and various bin round and about to put your rubbish into. There is also a customer toilet which i think you have to ask for the key to use it, but last time i did this was clean and tidy, not like some you find.
The forecourt shop is now a different place it has also become the village shop and sells a good selection of confectionery, drinks, crisps, bread, flour, sugar, toilet roll, etc as well as a fridge section with your cheese, milk, yoghurts and the likes. It stocks most newspapers and magazines, cigarettes and cigars.
It has a video/dvd rental stand, and also has a dry cleaning service available. There is also an area dedicated to various wines and beers.
There is also a section that still sells oil, screen wash, wiper blades and various other car bits and pieces, not sure exactly what cos i usually sweep past this bit.
You might think that this garage will be expensive because of its location but you would be wrong, they often have offers on the wines etc. Sweets drinks and groceries are the same price as other village shops as apposed to other forecourts. The petrol is also in line with most others in the area as well.
You can pay by cash, credit card etc and there is still a loyalty programme in place. The staff are really helpful and polite. The garage and forecourt is open 7 days a week usually from about 6.30/7am and doesn't close until around 9pm.
It is usually quite busy here as the people from the village use it as their local shop for groceries, the kids come in for sweets and then the petrol pumps are in use aswell.
So next time your taking a trip out along the A165 and find your low on fuel or want a quick snack then you won't find anywhere better than this little Oasis.
I hope you have enjoyed my review and it has been helpful to you.
