Family-run garage in Newport, Isle of Wight01983 525410
Fairlee Service Station
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1956 to today

From petrol station to workshop

Harry Flack took on Fairlee in 1956. 70 years later, his son Simon Flack owns the site and it’s still family run.

  1. The forecourt in black and white, with the Esso sign, pumps and workshop
    The forecourt and the Esso sign

    Harry Flack takes on Fairlee

    Petrol companies were opening service stations across the UK, and Harry Flack took on the tenancy here at Fairlee while also running Coombes Taxis in Newport. From day one it was a family effort. Everyone served petrol, checked the oil and water, offered to check tyre pressures and finished with a clean windscreen.

  2. Tyre offer signs outside the auto shop at the garage, with a pump in the foreground
    The auto shop at the garage

    Beyond the forecourt

    Harry and his son Richard grew the business, opening a car accessory shop at the garage and then more shops in Newport and Ryde. That paved the way for a vehicle workshop and, eventually, car sales.

  3. A row of cars for sale outside the Fairlee Service Station shop
    Cars for sale outside the shop

    Simon joins the business

    Simon Flack joined in 1978 to build up the car sales side.

  4. The Esso self-service canopy and pumps
    The self-service canopy

    Self-service arrives

    Esso changed the forecourt from attended service to self-service, and the business kept changing with the industry.

  5. The Esso canopy and shop, with a giant gas bottle sign behind
    The canopy and shop

    Simon takes over

    In the 1990s Simon took over the running of the garage.

  6. Buying the site from Esso

    After decades of partnership, Simon bought the site from Esso: a major milestone for the family and for Fairlee’s future.

  7. Fairlee Service Station from directly above, its forecourt and car sales lot full of cars
    Fairlee today

    Still family run

    Over the last 20 years the workshops and car sales have grown a lot. Fairlee now employs 24 staff, and the standard Harry set in 1956 still stands: be a garage local people can trust.

“From the moment my father first stepped onto the forecourt in 1956, he set one clear standard: be a garage local people can trust.”

Simon Flack, owner
From the family album

Fairlee through the years

Drag the line or use the arrows. Click the middle photo to see it full size.

Filling up a car at the Esso pump, in black and white

Serving on the forecourt

70 years on, still looking after the Island’s cars

Book online any time, or ring the garage and speak to someone who knows your car. We’re at Fairlee Road, Newport, Isle of Wight, PO30 2EJ.

Book MOT TodayRequest a Service Quote01983 525410

Opening hours

Service, repairs and MOTs

Mon–Fri
8:30am – 5:30pm
Sat
8:30am – 1pm
Sun
Closed

Used car sales

Mon–Fri
8:30am – 5:30pm
Sat
8:30am – 4:30pm
Sun
Closed

Jet wash on site at Fairlee.

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