Huge blow as drivers' go-to garage with 200 branches to shut another site after motoring retailer ‘reviews estate'

The Sun

5 days ago

A POPULAR garage with 200 branches will shut another one of its sites in a huge blow to drivers.
National Tyres and Autocare in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, has been a go-to for locals for years.
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But the garage on Oxford Street will shut down following what the company calls a "review of our estate".
National Tyres and Autocare is a national brand of fast fit specialists and is part of the Halfords chain.
Halfords say they are supporting the staff affected by the closure and is offering them alternative roles at nearby locations.
But it has not been confirmed how many jobs will be affected or whether the site will be closed on a permanent basis.
A spokesman for Halfords told the Northants Telegraph: "We can confirm our National Tyres and Autocare garage on Oxford Street in Wellingborough will close following a review of our estate in the area.
"We are committed to supporting impacted colleagues and are offering alternative roles at nearby Halford locations where possible.
"We'd like to thank our customers for their continued support and hope to welcome them at our Halfords Autocare garage on Turnells Mill Lane, Victoria Trade Park, which is just a six minute drive away.
"Customers can also use Halfords Mobile Expert service for tyre fittings, battery replacements, and other essentials right at their doorstep."
The Wellingborough garage has a 4.3 out of 5 star rating from 225 reviews on Google and was a trusted spot for locals.
With many five-star reviews, customers cited the garage's "brilliant service" and praised their "super friendly and helpful team."
Another added: "Great old fashion service that hardly exists these days".
Halfords has more than 200 National Tyres and Autocare garages across the UK.
They specialise in vehicle maintenance and repair, including tyres, exhausts, brakes, batteries, MOT testing, vehicle safety inspections and car servicing.
But this isn't the only site they've been forced to close in recent weeks due to a "review" of their estate.
The chain also announced the closure of its Broughty Ferry site in Dundee earlier this month for the same reason.
The Broughty Ferry location is already up for sale or lease and surveyors believe the site to have potential for commercial use or redevelopment.
Halfords is also set to close one of its main garages in Tweedmouth on June 5, with the company again citing a review of their estate as the reason.
The news comes as the motoring industry faces wider challenges, such as the imminent closure of a huge car dealership with over 91,000 vehicles currently on sale, putting over 100 jobs at risk.
The German online used car marketplace Heycar has suffered heavy losses since its launch in the UK in 2019, when it set out to rival Auto Trader and Motors.
Now, its majority shareholder, Volkswagen Financial Services (VWFS), has decided to pull the plug, leaving more than 126 employees across the UK, Germany, and France facing the risk of losing their jobs.
A large proportion of Heycar's employees are based in the UK, and the company is expected to wind down its UK operations shortly after its closure in Germany, which was expected in mid-May.
A VWFS spokesperson confirmed, 'We expect we will have to let go of a large portion of Heycar's employees.'
Despite the closure, VWFS is planning to carry forward Heycar's innovations.
In a statement, VWFS UK said: 'Volkswagen Financial Services (VWFS) UK is pleased to announce the launch of a new subsidiary that will integrate the technology and expertise developed by Heycar.
'Heycar has been a pioneer in the online used car marketplace and, despite the decision to wind down their operations, the valuable insights and digital solutions developed so far will play a crucial role in the future of VWFS UK, as we continue to explore new ways to drive growth and innovation in the automotive e-commerce space.
'We are anticipating that specialists and resources from Heycar will be joining the new subsidiary, ensuring we have the necessary knowledge and skills to effectively utilise and develop the technology we're acquiring.'
Volkswagen Financial Services was the company's largest shareholder, holding a 78 percent stake, followed by Volkswagen at 13 percent and Renault at 9 percent.
Why are so many car dealerships closing down?
By Summer Raemason
According to Business Rescue Expert there are multiple reasons why car dealerships are folding across the UK.
The first major factor is rising online car sales which are beating in-person sales at dealerships.
With an extensive range of comparison and second-hand sites to chose from, may car buyers don't even step foot into a dealership anymore.
Secondly, the actual cost to physically run the sites has soared.
Rent, wages and energy bills have all been increasing for roughly the past five years, putting many out of pocket.
Car manufacturing across the globe was also hit by a semiconductor chip shortage in 2022 which made it difficult to produce new motors.
The high demand with limited supply created a backlog, which although has eased, is still having an impact on the industry.
A third reason for recent closures is the shift to electric cars.
They are becoming more popular, given the Government initiative to be Net Zero in 2050.
The industry is also affected when companies merge or are bought by rivals.
This may lead to some independent names falling victim to the ongoing spate of closures.