Where Can You Find EV Charge Points Whilst Out and About?

There are so many options for charging your EV whilst out and about, thanks to our ever-growing public EV charging network.

In this blog: Garden Centres | Retail Parks | Hospitality Sites | Public Car Parks | The Electric Petrol Station

When driving an internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle, we refuel at one type of location: one of around 8,370 petrol stations in the UK.

But with electric driving, there are many different options for charging your EV. Charging at home or topping up at a forecourt is not your only option for EV charging – there is a budding public network that is growing by the day. Mer is a member of ChargeUK, a new trade association for the UK’s EV charging industry. Investing over £6 billion, the 18 member companies are aiming to double the size of the network through 2023.

In this blog, we recommend some interesting – and perhaps unknown – EV charge point locations for public use across the UK, from garden centres to retail environments, and hospitality sites to the new electric forecourt.

Here are some public places to stop and charge:

EV Charging at Garden Centres
It is no surprise that garden centres are investing in EV charging infrastructure – Mer is working with centres across the UK to install charge points for the public.

Hospitality Sites for Charging
The hospitality sector is another looking to attract new customers for a quick charge by providing charge points at their locations.

Charge at Public Car Parks
Many car parks across the UK have EV infrastructure, many of which are owned by councils – another perfect opportunity for charging your EV.

EV Charging at Forecourts
As the EV revolution drives on, we will see more and more petrol stations committing to installing charge points, as well as the introduction of fully electric focussed forecourts.

Go Green at Garden Centres

With their focus on supporting biodiversity and helping people across the country care for their gardens and environment, it is no surprise that garden centres are investing in EV charging infrastructure.

Mer’s charge points at Blue Diamond Garden Centres

Blue Diamond, the UK’s second largest garden centre group, entered into an agreement with Blue Diamond to provide EV charge points to its 39 garden centres across the UK.

Our first installs include:

Sanders Garden Centre: One of the South West’s largest purpose-built garden centres, Sanders is located close to Junction 22 off the M5.
Worcester Garden Centre: Found on Droitwich Road in Worcester, this garden centre is home to 8 public charge points.

Many more Mer EV charge points at Blue Diamond’s centres are to come soon.

Charge up at Retail Parks

Offering many outlets for visitors, including gyms, restaurants and cafes, and countless shops, retail parks are another great location for charging your EV. Drivers often stop at retail parks for long periods of time, which presents the perfect opportunity to charge your EV whilst you shop, eat, drink, and relax.

Stane Retail Park

Stane retail park is located a short distance from Colchester Town Centre, and you can find B&Q, M&S, Aldi, Greggs, Cook, Superdrug, and Mountain Warehouse there. There are 18 bays of EV charging at the park.

Sears Retail Park

Another retail park to check out when you are out and about is Sears in Solihull, ten miles from Birmingham.

You can shop at Smyths, Lidl, TK Maxx, Boots, Home Sense, M&S, and Next Home while topping up with one of two fast chargers or the ultra-rapid charge point for an even quicker charge.

The fast charge points offer a speed of up to 22kW and the ultra-rapid charger has a speed of up to 150kW, providing three sockets.

Hospitality for Charging

At Mer, we have recently supported Gateway Café with an EV charge point roll out at their Cirencester nature spot. There are options for ultra-rapid and fast charging, with the former enabling simultaneous charging with dynamic load management. You can charge your EV whilst enjoying a bite to eat at the café or explore the beautiful environment by foot or by bike.

Top up your EV while you are parked up

You will find many car parks dotted across the UK that have EV infrastructure, many of which are owned by councils. They are another perfect opportunity for charging your EV, as they are often located along major roads. Whether you are commuting and want to leave your EV on charge for the working day or are on route and in need of a top-up, locations like Duke Street car park in Hoyland, Barnsley, Station Road car park in Devizes, Wiltshire, and Plotinghams car park in Bridport, Dorset, are a great opportunity to charge.

Our public sector partnerships with Eastleigh Borough Council, Durham County Council, Isle of Wight Council, and more have seen us install chargers across many UK counties. Look at the Driver Portal for a full listing of council chargers.

The Electric Petrol Station

Finally, we are likely to see the traditional petrol forecourt transition into the electric era in the coming years by transforming into a hybrid petrol-diesel-electric hub for vehicles of all kinds to top up.

AY&Y

Mer will be providing six ultra-rapid EV charging bays at the top 50 independent forecourt operator AY&Y Patel Group’s Roseville Road forecourt in Leeds.