A family supermarket and petrol station on the Shropshire/Powys border has beaten off competition from more than 800 garages to claim top spot in a mystery shopper scheme.

Customer First, the Texaco brand’s mystery shop programme, awarded Harry Tuffins’ Churchstoke branch 100 per cent on a recent spot visit, making it full marks for the past three visits.

Tuffins now ranks joint top out of 882 Texaco branded forecourts in the UK.

Martin Crowther has been pinpointed as the member of staff who served the mystery shopper in the forecourt shop, on the last three occasions.

Martin, who has worked for Tuffins for four-and-a-half years, was rewarded with vouchers as a token for his loyalty and commitment.

Mark Williams, Tuffins general manager, said: “My staff are ecstatic to receive this news and we congratulate Martin in particular for his outstanding effort in ensuring our customers receive high standards of both customer service and cleanliness, while using our pumps and forecourt shop.

“We have built our business focusing on providing our customers with first class service. The Texaco brand’s Customer First programme is a great opportunity to achieve recognition of the service our staff provides.” Terry Matthews, retail programmes co-ordinator, said: “Very well done to all the team at Tuffins Churchstoke service station. Achieving such a high and consistent standard of customer service is not to be under estimated. The Customer First Programme managed by the Texaco Brand provides a mystery shopping service that can be used to help our independent retailers’ assess and measure how their customer service evolves as well as providing information which they can utilise to help them retain and attract new customers”.

Tuffins is a family-owned independent supermarket chain, started in 1950.