About

Who Are We

A family owned business based in Blackburn and founded in 1972, The Kay Group is an award winning company for design innovation and customer service, proud of our heritage but always looking to the future.

We continue to develop new to industry locations as well as redeveloping within the existing network

 

Our Vision and values

The Company continues to expand through New to Industry developments with branded retailing partners along with a commitment to give a superior customer experience 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Staff presentation and customer interaction has always been at the fore of our recruitment and training regime and is monitored through monthly external auditing. This strategy has been highly effective and in 2020 we were ranked in the Sunday Times top 250 independent companies.

Multiple award-winning company in the fields of design, innovation and customer service.

Directors and officials

The officials of the Company bring an unusual quality of width, depth, experience and knowledge to the business and its activities with a balance from both the private and corporate sectors. This is best demonstrated by its stewardship, considered capital commitments resulting in continued strong financial results.

  • Ken Kay
    Owner & Chief Executive Officer
  • Richard Cox
    Managing Director The Kay Group (UK) Ltd
  • Robin Entwistle
    Managing Director Intack Self Drive Ltd
  • Simon Fielding
    Finance Director The Kay Group (UK) Ltd
  • Ashley Kay
    Business Development and Legal Director
  • Paul Blackmore
    Non Executive Chairman & Consultant
  • Adam Howard
    Operations Director
  • Lee Grendall
    Operations Director
  • In the beginning

    Ken Kay, a Blackburn local man, started his petrol service station business, ELMTC Ltd, in 1972 at Intack Service Station, Blackburn.

    From this early beginning, Intack Self Drive (rental vehicles) was established later that year and is now Blackburn’s largest vehicle rental Company operating with over 400 vehicles.

  • Multiple award-winning company

    Today, known as The Kay Group (UK) Ltd, the Company is an industry multiple award-winning company in the fields of design, innovation and customer service. It is one of the North West’s leading petrol retailers operating through 24 developed high volume 24hr petrol retail outlets, all with convenience stores and car washing facilities. Shell, BP, Texaco and Londis are the Company’s principle suppliers along with in store retailing partners Greggs, Subway and Costa.

  • World's First Greggs Drive-Thru

    In 2017 The Kay Group built and opened the world’s first Greggs Drive-Thru at Irlam, in 2019 opened a 2nd at Tyneside Autoparc. As part of our business diversity plans we developed our 3rd Costa Drive-Thru, with number 4 and 5 in the pipeline.

  • Growth Plans

    The group employs over 350 personnel and provides a local based service to over 300,000 customers a week.

    With growth plans, the Group is currently in the top 15 independent petrol retailers in the UK.

    As a successful local businessman, Ken and his wife, Jean, became founder members of the Blackburn Youth Zone and continue to support its’ initiatives and projects.

  • Our CSR

    When designing a new site, we are very conscious of our neighbours whom we always take into consideration particularly with regard to the equipment we purchase and how we should operate on a day-to-day basis.

     

    Similarly, with environmental concerns, we invest heavily to reduce on-site airborne emissions to virtually nil by using stage 2 vapour recovery systems; reducing carbon emissions and to water harvesting from the building and canopy into a 30,000 litre tank for the use of all the on-site needs with the exception of drinking water.

  • Charity

    As founder members of Blackburn Youth Zone project, a wonderful initiative open to all community youth groups offering a safe environment to enjoy activities along with mentoring advice on personal and domestic issues as well as careers advice, Ken and his wife Jean continue to support its initiatives and projects.

     

    The Kay Group is a patron of East Lancashire Hospice and Darwen Youth Zone project and supports other local and national charitable organisations.