Staff Reports
Continuing updates on the global car wash industry:
Clean your car … or else
Have car washes in the United Kingdom become mandatory? Not quite. But a UK motoring regulation is prompting car owners to remain vigilant in keeping their vehicles clean.
UK regulations require that numberplates always remain visible, and even a small build-up of dirt or dust can render them unreadable, leading to a potential fine of up to £1,000.
If you can’t get your whole car washed, drivers are encouraged to at least wipe the number plate clean from time to time.
New car wash plans considered by Middlebrough Council
Middlebrough Council planning officers are considering whether to grant planning permission for an “environmentally sustainable car wash facility” in the Parkway Shopping Centre car park in Coulby Newham, an area in North Yorkshire, England.
Plans call for the car wash to be covered by two canopies constructed from recycled materials and high enough to accommodate vehicles of varying sizes. If approved, there will also be an office area for staff and storage facility.
The developers say the addition will cause minimal disruption to the existing operations of the shopping centre.
Didcot plans for new car wash approved despite objections
The South Oxfordshire District Council recently unanimously approved plans to turn a vacant site in Didcot, a civil parish in South Oxfordshire, England, into a hand-operated car wash facility.
The change of use application was originally objected to by Didcot’s town council over concerns about loss of parking and access issues. The plans also include building a temporary office and three marquees north of the car washing areas, which will have to be removed three years after the site being used.
Popular York shop wants to add car wash, extend café
Dean’s Garden Centre, a popular garden center in York, England, that also houses a café and coffee shop, is looking to expand, including the addition of a car wash.
The formerly family-run business was sold to Bradford-based Yorkshire Garden Centres less than a year ago. In its application, the Yorkshire Garden Centre Group says Dean’s plans a new covered café extension, more parking spaces and a car wash and valet services.
Car Wash-based TV show debuts in Canada
Customers of Bell Fibe TV can now watch a Canadian-based, car-centric comedy show.
“Car Wash Wars” – called an “absurdist, comedic” take on the New Brunswick city of Saint John – centers around the character Kayla Polley who takes over her dad’s manual car wash business after his forced retirement and must contend with a wealthy oligarch who opens an automated car wash as competition.
Episodes will be released weekly on both the Fibe TV1 channel and its partner Fibe TV App throughout the month of February and into March.
Blackpool Car Wash reopens under new ownership
Blackpool Car Wash, a staple of the seaside town in Lancashire, England, recently reopened under new owners Penny Petroleum.
The site had closed last September when the previous owners retired. The newly opened site has been upgraded through Penny Petroleum’s partnership with Wash Tec, one of the world leaders in car wash technology.
The car wash is priced from £5, with mini valets and brand-new self-serve jet washes also available. A new lounge is also planned in the near future.
ISTOBAL establishes new subsidiary in Australia
ISTOBAL, a Spain-based leader in the design, manufacture and marketing of vehicle wash and car care solutions, is expanding its global presence with the establishment of a new subsidiary in Australia with the acquisition of Good Sight Australia (GSA).
The move follows the recent establishment of offices in France, Poland, the Netherlands, Germany, and Hungary. Good Sight, which has been a leader in the car wash market in Australia since 1968, has been the main distributor of ISTOBAL products in the country since 2016.
GSA’s infrastructure comprises a central warehouse in Sydney and seven satellite warehouses strategically located across Australia.
United Kingdom-wide crackdown hits car washes, restaurants
Nearly 4,000 migrants working illegally in nail bars, car washes and restaurants have been arrested in a UK-wide crackdown to tighten border security.
Businesses and homes across London and the South East were among those raided by the Home Office and National Crime Agency. Video footage shows at least four suspects being detained at a car wash in Herne Hill.
A spokesman said as part of government efforts since taking power in July, some 3,930 arrests have been made across 5,424 visits by immigration enforcement officer.
Greece implements digital monitoring in car parks, car washes and garages
A recent article in the Greek newspaper Proto Thema explains an interesting new technology adapted by the Independent Authority for Public Revenue (AADE).
The digital customer register will become mandatory for car parks, car washes, garages and car rental companies, with the aim of cross-checking transactions in real time and combating tax evasion. Once activated, every vehicle entering or leaving these businesses will be electronically recorded, while its details will be directly correlated with the receipt issued.
The new digital tool reduces paperwork, automates customer management and allows transactions to be linked to documents.
Preparations underway for UNITI expo 2026
UNITI Expo, the biennial European trade fair for the retail petroleum and car wash sector, is already making preparations for its 2026 edition, which will be held May 19-21 at Messe Stuttgart convention center in Germany.
Leading companies will present cutting-edge solutions tackling issues such as the emergence of multi-energy, multi-service hubs and the car wash of tomorrow. The Future Mobility Lounge, a themed pavilion dedicated to the topic of “alternative fuels” will be expanded in 2026 and offer new features.
Visit www.uniti-expo.com for more information.
Car washing facilities in Pakistan ordered to use recycled water only
The government of the Punjab province of Pakistan has imposed an immediate ban on washing cars at home and service stations that do not have water recycling systems in place.
In a bid to conserve water, all service stations across the province have been ordered to install water recycling systems. The Lahore High Court has restricted the non-essential use of water, including a ban on car washing at homes and service stations without water recycling systems.
The province experienced 42 percent below normal rainfall from September 2024 to January 2025.
Car wash in France fined for tapping water table during drought
A car wash in Guéret, France, was recently convicted of tapping the water table during the 2023 drought. The car wash operator was fined 1,000 euros and forfeited 25,000 euros.
The water table is an underground boundary between the soil surface and the area where groundwater saturates spaces between sediments and cracks in rock. Guéret is a commune and the prefecture of the Creuse department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region in central France.
New Planet Wash location in Dreux, France
Saïd Achafi recently opened a state-of-the-art Planet Wash station on rue Henri-Dunant in Dreux, France, at the entrance to the Oriels neighborhood.
The Planet Wash station is equipped with a water recycling plant, recovering 70 percent of the water. It has four high-pressure lanes, including one with a height of 3.2m for commercial vehicles, vans and campers.
The station is equipped with two standard rollers with soft brushes that prevent micro-scratches.
