Family-owned Kingston Beach Service Centre changes hands after 25 years

One of the last petrol stations providing driveway service in southern Tasmania has changed hands after 25 years, with the owners reflecting on the bittersweet decision to call time on the business.

The owner of a beloved family-run service station has bid farewell to his loyal customers, saying he will cherish the 25 years he and his family devoted to serving the local community.

Peter Rimon, 74, bought the Kingston Beach Service Centre in 1997 and has provided driveway fuel service and auto repairs ever since.

It’s understood the new owner of the site will continue to operate it as a service station but it won’t be staffed and will rely on self-service.

Mr Rimon said the time was right for him to close the book on the business.

“We had a lot of good customers – people that were there for the duration of the time we had it, really,” he said.

“We provided driveway service because we have a lot of elderly customers.

“[Our customers] appreciated what they got. A lot of people were disappointed [that we were closing] but, on the other hand, they were wishing us all the best.

Peter Rimon (centre) with son-in-law, Peter Triffett and granddaughters Hayley Triffett and Demi Crook at the Kingston Beach Service Station, which Peter ran for 25 years. Picture: Linda Higginson

“Because, at 74, I can’t stay there forever.”

Mr Rimon said the decline of driveway service was concerning to him because he didn’t know what older people were “going to do from that point-of-view”.

“We were one of the last doing it,” he said.

Mr Rimon’s granddaughter, Hayley Triffett, started working at the service station two years ago, filling up people’s cars.

“I loved it,” she said. “It was good to work alongside family members. Not everyone gets to do that in their everyday work life.”

“As time went on, it was like you knew [the customers] towards the end. They were all sort of like your best mates, really.

“It is very sad to be saying goodbye. But we’ve all got to move on eventually, I guess, and try different things in life.

“It’s definitely something you never forget, that’s for sure.”

Originally published as Family-owned Kingston Beach Service Centre changes hands after 25 years