Latest news with #TCHarrison
The Sun
21-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Sun
Popular city car dealership closing with 60 jobs at risk if a new site can't be secured
A POPULAR car dealership is set to close, with 60 jobs at risk if a new site is not found for the business. The Kia dealership in Cambridge is "subject to closure in September 2025", as part of the North-East Cambridge Area Action Plan, which will create a major new district in the city. 2 2 The owners of the dealership have proposed moving it to a site on Ely road that they say is a 'highly suitable location' for 'retaining employment'. However, the plans have so far seen nine objections from concerned locals. One local said the potential traffic caused by the dealership would be "completely incompatible" with the village. Another resident said: "An increase of traffic would likely further exacerbate the North Lodge Park estate parking. "The new use would also lead to car transporters using this junction, which would likely also lead to additional disruption for residents and estate users.' The building which the dealership plans to take over is currently unoccupied. Plans include making "modest aesthetic" changes to one side of the building and entrance, to match the branding of the dealership. This comes after another car dealership, TC Harrison Ford in St Neots, Cambridgeshire, closed its doors for the last time on Friday. The closure was confirmed after planners granted permission for a new retirement village to be built on the dealership's site last year. TC Harrison confirmed last month that the dealership would close on May 16, 2025. Happily, there will be no job losses following the closure, with all business activities and staff to relocate to the the firm's Huntingdon branch, just 11 miles away. And a huge car dealership with over 91,000 vehicles currently on sale will close within weeks putting over 100 jobs at risk. The German online used car marketplace has made heavy losses since opening in the UK in 2019 when it looked to rival Auto Trader and Motors. Heycar's majority shareholder, Volkswagen Financial Services (VWFS), have pulled the plug leaving more than 126 employees across the UK, Germany, and France at risk of losing their jobs. A large proportion of Heycar's employees are based in the UK. 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. They are expected to close in the UK shortly after their closure in Germany, expected to be in mid-May. And a Volkswagen dealership in Wirral has also recently closed, after it's owner US-based Group 1 decided it was restructuring, as part of a £346 million deal. A Volkswagen spokesperson told the Globe: 'We can confirm that Group 1 Volkswagen Wirral ceased trading at the end of March and is now closed. 'Our focus when any network changes take place remains on convenience and the highest levels of service. 'Customers have been contacted to advise them of alternative sales, service and parts facilities.'
The Sun
14-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Sun
Iconic car dealership to shut in just HOURS & be demolished as brand axes nearly half its sites
AN ICONIC car dealership will close in just two days' time as a major brand continues to scrap sites. The family-run dealer is going to be demolished shortly after it shuts. 2 TC Harrison Ford in St Neots, Cambridgeshire, will close its doors for the last time on Friday. The closure was confirmed after planners granted permission for a new retirement village to be built on the dealership's site last year. TC Harrison confirmed last month that the dealership would close on May 16 2024. Happily, there will be no job losses following the closure. All business activities and staff will relocate to the the firm's Huntingdon branch, just 11 miles away. This site will in turn expand to accommodate the increased staff and activity. A spokesperson for TC Harrison announced: "Following the planning approval for the proposed retirement village on our St Neots premises, I can now confirm that all our business activities and staff will be transferring to the Huntingdon dealership on May 16, 2025. "Huntingdon is 11 miles from St Neots, just off the A141. "We have scheduled a series of announcements to our customer database outlining our collection and delivery services (amongst other offers) to maintain customer convenience. " Planning has been approved for further expansion at our Huntingdon dealership and works will commence in due course. Popular car dealership abruptly shuts after 'trade-in trick' uncovered – as drivers blast 'worst experience ever' "We look forward to welcoming as many of our St Neots customers as we can." The TC Harrison dealership in St Neots is just the latest casualty in a five-year plan by Ford to close almost half of its dealerships in the UK. Ford announced this in 2020, with the aim of boosting profitability at its dealers by reducing their quantity and expanding their sales area. At the start of this year, the Blue Oval brand announced it would close 50 dealerships across the country to complete this goal. Only three of these 50 dealers terminated have been able to retain their Ford Authorised Service. It had cut down to 'just over 200 dealers' nationwide, according to CarDealer, fulfilling its five-year target. Ford of Great Britain said: "We have been actively restructuring the dealer network over the past several years to better align with the evolving needs of our business and deliver enhanced service." This comes as part of a wider trend of franchised car dealerships closing across Britain. Companies including Group 1, Lithia, Marshalls and Vertu have all been scaling back their sites. TC Harrison dealer group, responsible for the St Neots site closing on Friday, has been a family outfit for 94 years. Founded in 1931 by Thomas 'Cuth' Harrison, the company came 16th in the Car Dealer Top 100 list of most profitable dealers in Britain, produced by the publication CarDealer. The Group had a hefty earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization sum figure of £34,23 million. 2
The Irish Sun
14-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Irish Sun
Iconic car dealership to shut in just HOURS & be demolished as brand axes nearly half its sites
AN ICONIC car dealership will close in just two days' time as a major brand continues to scrap sites. The family-run 2 TC Harrison Ford bears no relation to the actor Credit: Google Maps TC Harrison Ford in St Neots, The closure was confirmed after planners granted permission for a new retirement village to be built on the dealership's site last year. TC Harrison confirmed last month that the dealership would close on May 16 2024. Happily, there will be no job losses following the closure. Read more Motors All business activities and This site will in turn expand to A spokesperson for "Huntingdon is 11 miles from St Neots, just off the A141. Most read in Motors "We have scheduled a series of " Popular car dealership abruptly shuts after 'trade-in trick' uncovered – as drivers blast 'worst experience ever' "We look forward to welcoming as many of our St Neots customers as we can." The TC Harrison dealership in St Neots is just the latest Ford announced this in 2020, with the aim of boosting profitability at its dealers by reducing their quantity and expanding their sales area. At the start of this year, the Blue Oval brand announced it would close 50 dealerships across the country to complete this goal. Only three of these 50 dealers terminated have been able to retain their It had cut down to 'just over 200 dealers' nationwide, according to CarDealer, fulfilling its five-year target. Ford of Great Britain said: "We have been actively restructuring the dealer This comes as part of a wider trend of franchised car dealerships closing across Britain. Companies including TC Harrison dealer group, responsible for the St Neots site closing on Friday, has been a family Founded in 1931 by Thomas 'Cuth' Harrison, the company came 16th in the Car Dealer Top 100 list of most profitable dealers in Britain, produced by the publication CarDealer. The Group had a hefty earnings before interest, taxes, 2 All staff will relocate to the Huntingdon site 11 miles away Credit: Google Maps
The Sun
26-04-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Popular high street shop serving customers for 68 years suddenly closes down as store launches stock sale
A MUCH-LOVED high street shop is set to close its doors permanently following the launch of a "stock sale". Electrical retailer, Wains, located on Biddulph High Street in Stoke-on-Trent, has announced its decision to shut up shop after 68 years. 2 2 In a Facebook post to customers, the shop's owners said: "After a wonderful 68 years we have decided it is time to retire. "We opened on Thursday 24 April for the start of our stock sale." In 2003, the business played a large role in the fight to stop parking charges being imposed in Biddulph - a fight that proved unsuccessful in spite of a petition with 6,000 signatures. It comes as a car dealership, which has been in business for 94 years, announced it will close one of it's branches, with the site set to be demolished. TC Harrison, a family run business, which has been operating since 1931, will close its dealership in St Neots, Cambridgeshire in just weeks, to make way for a retirement village. Jeweller and watch expert Goldsmiths shut up shop at its store inside the shopping centre, The Broadway Bradford. Rising costs, a shift to online shopping and a dip in consumer confidence have all impacted retailers, with even established names shuttering sites. Well-known brands like Wilko and Paperchase have collapsed, while many others scale back operations in a bid to reduce costs. Homebase, sold out of administration, has seen many of its stores close. Boots is set to shut ten stores in the coming weeks as part of wider plans to reduce its UK portfolio by 300 sites. Meanwhile, JD Sports has confirmed it will shut down 50 stores next year. The retailer, which has 4,850 stores across 36 countries, has not yet confirmed how many of the closures will be in the UK. Similarly, last month, Essential Vintage announced on social media that it would be closing down after they had been "priced out" because of bigger players in the market including Vinted. Red Menswear in Chatham in Medway, Kent, shut for the final time on Saturday, March 29, after selling men's clothing since 1999. Shoezone, located on Devonshire Road, has confirmed it's final day of trading will be May 13. New Look bosses made the decision to axe nearly 100 branches as they battle challenges linked to Autumn Budget tax changes. Approximately a quarter of the retailer's 364 stores are at risk when their leases expire. This equates to about 91 stores, with a significant impact on New Look's 8,000-strong workforce. Why are retailers closing shops? EMPTY shops have become an eyesore on many British high streets and are often symbolic of a town centre's decline. The Sun's business editor Ashley Armstrong explains why so many retailers are shutting their doors. In many cases, retailers are shutting stores because they are no longer the money-makers they once were because of the rise of online shopping. Falling store sales and rising staff costs have made it even more expensive for shops to stay open. The British Retail Consortium has predicted that the Treasury's hike to employer NICs from April 2025, will cost the retail sector £2.3billion. At the same time, the minimum wage will rise to £12.21 an hour from April, and the minimum wage for people aged 18-20 will rise to £10 an hour, an increase of £1.40. In some cases, retailers are shutting a store and reopening a new shop at the other end of a high street to reflect how a town has changed. The problem is that when a big shop closes, footfall falls across the local high street, which puts more shops at risk of closing. Retail parks are increasingly popular with shoppers, who want to be able to get easy, free parking at a time when local councils have hiked parking charges in towns. Many retailers including Next and Marks & Spencer have been shutting stores on the high street and taking bigger stores in better-performing retail parks instead. In some cases, stores have been shut when a retailer goes bust, as in the case of Carpetright, Debenhams, Dorothy Perkins, Paperchase, Ted Baker, The Body Shop, Topshop and Wilko to name a few. What's increasingly common is when a chain goes bust a rival retailer or private equity firm snaps up the intellectual property rights so they can own the brand and sell it online. They may go on to open a handful of stores if there is customer demand, but there are rarely ever as many stores or in the same places. The Centre for Retail Research (CRR) has warned that around 17,350 retail sites are expected to shut down this year.
