F&I Management & Training

A car dealership which employs 130 staff at branches in North and East Yorkshire has gone into receivership after a sharp fall in sales. The deVries company, which had a £62m-a-year turnover, has outlets in Hull, York, Scarborough, Northallerton and Stockton on Tees. But poor sales and "major trading issues within the group" have put the firm into difficulties. Receivers Grant Thornton said it could not rule out branch closures. The company was founded in 1991 and has five Honda dealerships across North and East Yorkshire Operations Keith Hinds, of receivers Grant Thornton, said: "We are currently looking at maintaining as many trading operations as possible but we cannot discount the need to close some or all of the sites if buyers could not be found in the near future. "We are currently working with Honda to safeguard customer deposits and are maintaining full after sales services to customers." Bernard Bradley, general manager of Honda Cars, said: "This move was unavoidable due to major trading issues within the group which have been exacerbated by the current financial downturn. "We will now be making every effort to contact and reassure customers in the vicinity of the dealerships who may be affected."

DATED: 13.01.09

FEED: AW