Round the Clock Service – McCaughey’s Service Station

As more forecourts opt to provide a 24/7 for local communities, IF&CR caught  up with Raylene McCaughey of McCaughey’s Service Station – on what it’s like to be open round the clock.

Located on the N2, Broomfield in Castleblayney, McCaughey;s 24hr Service Station is open 24/7 – IF&CR asks why and how being open round
the clock is helpful for your local community and customers?

“McCaugheys 24hr Service Station opened its doors in November 1997 as one of the first 24hour service stations in the county. Yes, it was a brave move at the time but one that Ray – my dad – didn’t hesitate about, he had and still has the view of being very much a 24/7/365 man” Raylene McCaughey told IF&CR.

“If there is a deal to be done or a sale to be made then time is of no limits. His belief of his ability to service
both the community and the N2 driver around the clock has been in
operation since.

“Having no OFF button is difficult at times, back then staff were definitely more available and willing to work any hours. I feel nowadays potential staff are reluctant to commit to unsociable hours so we do struggle from time to time in recent years.

Extra Committed

“Staff for these hours need to be extra committed and reliable as they operate those hours alone in a locked secured shop through a window. But
like all our staff, those individuals are an essential part of this business, without nightshift staff the business would not flow as successfully as it
does.

“We invested in pay at pump terminals for 4 of our pumps in 2022. We did this not only to introduce fast lanes and accommodate the card user at
the pumps but with night shift in mind. We felt that IF some day came when we needed to close the window 10pm-6am shift on short notice then
at least fuel was still available, as that’s essential.

“Thankfully we have never had to close. Our dedicated staff team have always helped out and stepped in when needed to cover.Reliability

“At no stage do we ever want to be in a position that we let our customers down, they rely on us to be open and we have built on that reliability for 27 years now so will strive to continue to be in full service for many years to come.

“I feel being open 24/7 has helped to make the business a destination point. The local community never need run out of anything at any time, from bread and milk to Calpol, and batteries, never a household crisis – Run to Mc Caughey’s!”

Origins

What is the history of McCaughey’s Service Station – what are its origins, how has it grown, changed and developed over the years?

“Ray bought his first shop at the age of 19 just adjacent to where we currently operate. That was the genesis of an enduring association with retail, and today, his professionalism and personal life is still tightly bound to the success of his thriving forecourt &
convenience venture on the N2.

“In 1996 a new road development was announced which would see his first shop at a disadvantage so he sought out the possibility of relocating to
the opposite side of the road. He purchased the lands of the late farmer Frank Keenan and commenced on a greenfield site. It has been growing since.”

Extensive parking

“What services do you provide on the forecourt?
“We are well known nationally for our DCI yard accepting all major fuel cards.

“The extensive parking at the site means lorry’s can park up, have a coffee, bite to eat, rest at any time. A forecourt attendant is on hand 17 hours a day. Many forecourts have cut back on this however we have kept this service as we fell it is important
to be able to attend to our customers, it gives that cutting edge that is preferred by many. The presence of our forecourt attendants also strengthens our security and quick response to any issues that may arise.

“We also provide car wash & Valet, Self service Air & Hoover & Water and an E-car Charger.”

Daybreak Convenience Store

Can you describe the store and the services provided in-store?

“Being a Daybreak store means that we have an extensive range in our convenience store offering all the snacks and essentials you might need when travelling on the N2. Our 9 Grams Coffee is a huge hit, we have won Daybreaks Best Hot Beverage Award now for 2 years running also selling the most hot beverages than any other Daybreak in the country.  We have recently added the Iced Coffee area to our island which has been very popular, especially on the sunny day, of which we might need a few more of.

“It is  always very important for us to also stock the essentials for our local community. Confectionary and Soft drinks are always in high demand however it’s not all about impulse with us, we strive to make sure stock the household essentials, the dogfood and the firelighters and the washing powder and the Wine. We have to manage the balance.

“We have the National Lottery, Phone credit, E-flow Payments, Bill payments. Cigarettes, vapes. We have all the services expected now from a good modern Service station.”

Ice Cream

“Our Ice Cream area has been one of our key growth areas in our shop over the last few years. We are well known for miles for our deluxe desserts. Ice cream became a huge part of our business  during covid, social media played a huge part in attracting families, teenagers and couples to Broomfield for that special treat. Treats were few and far between those days so Ice Cream filled that gap in the market. Broomfield’s very small Ice Cream area had become under pressure.

“So much was the demand in Broomfield that we opened a stand-alone Ice Cream shop – ‘Mc Caugheys Ice Cream’ in the nearby town of Castleblayney in August 2020 when everything around here was closed, no pubs, no hotels, no sit ins no nothing.

I think because the road in Broomfield was that little bit quieter and we had adjusted the Deli & Hot counter to be take away only, we had more time to think about some new ideas.

‘Let’s open an Ice Cream shop’ in the middle of a pandemic! It was a wild notion by myself and my sister Aedi one night, but it really has been a great success. It took helping hands from the whole family and the relocation of some staff from Broomfield to pull it off but it worked. We laugh when we look back now at how flippantly we did it.

“It was chaos with ques from the get go, beyond expectation and now opens from 8.30am – 10pm daily. Not just 24 hours yet – lol but long enough  – but  people eat ice cream at any time of the day and year nowadays. Smoothies, Milkshakes, Acai bowls, Barista is all available there, items that are not yet in Broomfield but we are planning the introduction.”

Deli & Restaurant

“Our Deli & Hot food counter opens at 5am on a Monday morning and 6am every other morning. This operates right through to 9pm. Breakfast would be our busiest time of the day offering everything from Breakfast rolls on the go to Full Irish Sit in.

“We then move onto carvery dinners from 12noon to 4pm, all homemade and cooked in store. Our Southern Fried Chicken is always a winner.

“From 4pm, whilst we still operate a full hot counter Grab and go option we also offer a cook to order menu where you can sit and have your tea in our cosy seated area and watch the traffic go by. From Burgers to Fresh Cod and chip to Happy salad bowls. We try our best to provide an offering that is hard to find at any other Service Station.

Irish Heart Foundation

As a Daybreak store – I note you’ve been involved in the work for the Irish Heart Foundation – what has that involved? What other ways do you give back to the community?

“We are proud to be associated with Daybreaks chosen charity – Irish Heart Foundation. We have had the pleasure of hosting the Irish heart foundation mobile unit late last year where they came onsite and provided blood pressure and pulse checks for those who wished free of charge. With it being such a fast-paced site I wasn’t sure how it would work but thankfully the uptake on it was brilliant.

“The statistics that day showed that 28 out of 43 people tested that day were referred to their GP for further checks. It was so comforting to know that it had created the awareness and possibly saved lives that day.

Dedicated staff

What about the team – what do the staff and what they bring to the business?

“We currently employ 45 staff here in Broomfield, each one contributing their knowledge and talents to the business. A business like this cannot work without dedicated and loyal staff.

“I feel we are most definitely still in a staff crisis in Ireland at the moment or from my knowledge of this industry anyway. Thankfully we have some brilliant back bone staff who are the pillars of the company. Without them we could not succeed.  I do feel it’s difficult to attract permanent staff to a busy 24/7 operation, especially as it is not within walking distance of a town nor catered for by public transport and I will not deny it is hard work. Theres so much to learn and be aware of to be part of the team here.

“We employ so many part time college staff at the moment who are really struggling to balance the work/college grant situation. We have work for them, they want to work yet if they earn too much their family don’t receive the grant for them to attend college which depending on their family circumstances they really need. Its such a catch and I feel really needs addressed urgently. Its punishing them for working and encouraging  very bad habits for our younger generation.

Day to day

Tell me a bit about day to day routine, and what drives you to make the business so successful?

Raylene McCarthy said “I have known nothing else but the forecourt retail business from I could walk and talk. I had a real till when my age had toy ones. Being the eldest of the family meant I was always in the shop helping out, always learning from my father’s business mind but also highly encouraged on the official education side too as my mother is a primary school teacher.  I combined both and followed the business path graduating with a Bachelors Degree in Retail & Services Management in 2003 and returned to help direct and manage the family business.

“Nowadays its more of a juggling trade as all full-time working mothers know all too well. I have three  boys who have lots of different interests and a husband who owns his own Menswear Business. So to say my house and my head has been busy over the last few years is an understatement. I wouldn’t have it any other way, I do thrive to drive the family business and see it into the future. Its all I know.”

“Ray never stops, he has his finger on the pulse of the forecourt business and is hands on every day, almost 24/7 lol.  He juggles this with operating a silage contracting business along with his son and sells mobile homes from his business directly behind the forecourt.

Lifetime Achievement Award

“When he received a lifetime achievement award in 2016 from Ireland Forecourt & Retail awards for his contribution to the industry he was described as ‘a man determined to succeed and always drive forward despite knocks along the way’

Ray and his wife Margaret balance their busy lives nowadays with enjoying their eight grandchildren, seven grandsons and one granddaughter.

Challenges

What are the challenges facing the forecourt sector at the moment?

“We feel Forecourt Retailing has evolved into a completely different industry in recent years.

“Every product and service is expected now, nothing less. We feel it is so important to keep up to date. In order to do this we have plans to futureproof our business by extending and somewhat restructuring our current store. We have already started on this development.

“We hope to bring a more modern look  to the site but also keep that homely warm family run business feeling throughout. It needs revitalised and we intend doing just that very soon.”