Jobs saved as car business gets new owners (From Worcester News)

Jobs saved as car business gets new owners

2:20am Sunday 21st June 2009 in

• Skip social links
• Print
• Email
• Comments(0)

A CITY car dealership has reopened under new ownership a little over two weeks after administrators were called in.

The former Bicknells Vauxhall site in Cotswold Way, Blackpole, has been taken over by Gloucester-based firm Baylis.

The showroom was able to reopen on Monday, having called in the administrators on Tuesday, May 27.

Andy Robbins, Baylis’ sales and marketing director, said the deal would benefit Vauxhall owners in the Worcester area and had secured 26 jobs.

“We started up on Monday. We had a couple of cars in for service that day and then on Tuesday we sold three cars,” he said.

“As a small dealer group but locally based we think moving into Worcester is the right decision.

“The new car market is depreseed, however it’s not just about the state of the market place right now, it’s where it will be in the future when things recover.

“We’re confident that the business will grow. The Worcester market is big.”

He said total car sales across Worcestershire were bigger than either the Herefordshire or Gloucestershire markets, where Baylis already trades.

The deal to buy the site’s assets and set-up the company’s seventh dealership did not include Bicknells’ Malvern or Tipton sites.

Mr Robbins said Malvern had been considered in the deal but the Pickersleigh Road location was “not a viable site”, although he did not rule out a future move by Baylis into the town.

“Malvern is a big market with about 35,000 households. We’d certainly consider it,” he said.

Baylis is running a collection and delivery service or courtesy cars for customers in outlying areas.