09/03/2026
Before anyone blames their local oil company for rising prices… please take two minutes to read this.
This is the man behind the wheel.
My daddy
And this is the woman behind the man.
My mummy
And I’ve watched him/them for over 30 years put other people before everything. If you were a fly on the wall right now, you too would get your eyes well and truly opened.
First of all, I want to introduce myself at the start of this post. I am James’ daughter (and he will probably be absolutely mortified that I’m writing this), but I felt I had to get this out there - not only for my daddy’s business, but for every small, local, family-run business that is dealing with this chaos at the moment.
It’s 2am and I can’t sleep. I’ve been annoyed (really pi**ed off) ever since listening to the 5pm news on Downtown Radio / Cool Fm yesterday evening (Thursday 5th March), where the two First Ministers - both were discussing the current situation with oil prices and what companies are charging.
With no disrespect, I honestly don’t think they fully understand how it works.
The way it was discussed could easily lead the public to believe that local oil companies are “taking advantage” of the situation. I can assure you, as someone who has been in and out of the office all week watching what’s happening, that couldn’t be further from the truth. I would say every receptionist, driver and helper working in local oil distributors across Northern Ireland would agree with me.
Like 99.9% of anything we buy, there is a SUPPLY CHAIN and oil is no different.
When it comes to home heating oil in Northern Ireland, the supply chain is actually quite straightforward:
Refinery
⬇
Oil tanker ships
⬇
Belfast Harbour oil terminal (and smaller amounts through Derry/Londonderry)
⬇
Wholesale fuel suppliers
⬇
Haulage of oil
⬇
Local oil distributors
⬇
Delivery to your home
Basically - your local oil company is NOT the one setting these prices. They are at the lower end of the supply chain and are dealing with the exact same pressures as everyone else.
The interview I listened to focused entirely on the consumer. And yes - I’m a consumer too.
I know how difficult things are right now. Between heating your home, electricity bills and groceries - everyone is feeling the same pressures.
BUT did anyone stop to think about the men and women working in this industry right now? The pressure, the stress and the worry they are under is not normal. Because I’ve been seeing it firsthand all week.
“If you were a fly on the wall right now, you would well and truly get your eyes opened too.”
For those of you who know my daddy, you’ll know he is one of the most decent, genuine, humble and kind people you could ever meet.
In one word - he’s a gentleman.
As far back as I can remember, he has always put other people’s needs before his own. He has missed family occasions, Christmas dinners, and has even gotten up from his own sick bed to help people who had run out of oil, red diesel, coal or gas.
Our family business has been at the heart of this community for over 30 years, employing local people from day one. Alongside my mummy, brother, sister, brother-in-law and a team of incredible staff, my daddy works with people who go above and beyond every single day to provide a five-star service to their customers.
They answer the phones to worried people. They deal with frustration and anger that isn’t really theirs to carry. And they still try their absolute best to help everyone they can.
We are also incredibly grateful for the loyalty and support of our amazing customers over the past 30 years. Many of you have been with our family business for decades, and your kindness, patience and continued support means more than you will ever know - especially during difficult times like these.
So before pointing the finger at your local oil company, please remember that these are local families, local workers and local businesses doing their best in an incredibly difficult situation - just like everyone else.
✨SO BE KIND
✨BE PATIENT
And support the local businesses that have supported our communities for decades.
It is now nearly 5am and I know I will regret this middle of the night rant when it’s time to get up🫣😂 but please as I said at the start of my post before blaming your local oil company. Remember - behind every delivery is a local family doing their very best in a situation they can not control.
