following its closure due to the financial difficulties of its operator, Mr.

Harold Madeiros.

Mr. Madeiros is being sued for $26,518 by Esso, which supplies all the bulk fuel for the station. It is understood the debt relates to unpaid fuel for the site.

The gas station has been closed to the general public for over a week while the site's owner, architect Mr. Maurice Terceira, and Esso try to find a new operator for the Middle Road facility.

Mr. Madeiros could still be contacted at the site yesterday but it is believed only the business' car and bike body shop is still operating.

Mr. Madeiros issued a "no comment'' before putting the phone down on a Royal Gazette reporter.

Esso's local general manager Mr. Keith Hollis yesterday declined to go into details of the lawsuit against Mr. Madeiros.

But he said: "There's going to be a change of operator at the site. Mr.

Terceira is negotiating to get a new tenant and I've been assured the site is going to open in the near term.'' Although Mr. Terceira owns the property at Port Royal, Esso owns all the equipment at the gas station.

All of Esso's gas stations in Bermuda are operated by Bermudians as independent businesses, with Esso supplying equipment and fuel.

Mr. Madeiros has been the operator at Port Royal since the early 1980s.