The UK’s fourth largest motor retailer is to muscle in on Ayr’s car sales market, Ayrshire Live can reveal.
Gateshead-based Vertu Motors PLC has won permission to build a new dealership on land at the rear of Old Farm Road.
And the news is expected to spark a welcome recruitment drive for sales people, mechanics and admin staff.
The plans involve developing a vacant piece of land to be used as the main retail unit and includes valet building, MOT and servicing area and as many as 360 parking spaces.
The applicants also sought to include associated hard and soft landscaping as part of the development and the plans have been rubber stamped by South Ayrshire Council’s planners.
There are more than 10 car dealerships already in Ayr, now the town’s car retail scene will swell even further.
Vertu Motors PLC was formed in 2006 and operates a nationwide chain of more than 190 franchised and non-franchised motor dealerships which offer sales, servicing, parts and bodyshop facilities for new and used cars and commercial vehicles.
These dealerships fall under the trading names Vertu Motors, Bristol Street Motors and Macklin Motors.
The new dealership will operate under the Macklin Motors brand, selling Toyotas.
Chief Executive of Macklin Motors, said: “This is fantastic news and represents significant investment in Ayr.
"The new Macklin Motors Toyota Ayr dealership will create jobs for local people and make a positive contribution to the economy of the town, and the wider area. It also continues a period of growth for the company in Scotland.
“I am very much looking forward to the work beginning and this exciting project coming to fruition.”
In their sales pitch Vertu Motors say they aim to deliver “an outstanding customer motoring experience through honesty and trust.”
In 2010, Vertu Motors expanded into Scotland, where it trades under the Macklin Motors brand.
Macklin Motors dealerships represent the likes of Ford, Hyundai, Kia, Mazda, Nissan, Peugeot, Vauxhall, and Toyota.
The Vertu Motors Group is the fourth largest automotive retailer in the United Kingdom, and has been awarded numerous accolades, including Best Customer Experience at the 2019 Auto Trader Retailer Awards, Motability Website of the Year and Group Contact of the Year in 2019, and Best Used Car Online Sales Experience at the 2021 Used Car Awards.
Last month Vertu saw their turnover top £4bn for the first time, boosted in part by its largest-ever acquisition.
Revenues at the Gateshead-based car dealership rose nearly £400m (11 per cent) to £4.014bn, leading to an increase in dividends and a new programme of share buyback and investments across the business.
Chief executive Robert Forrester hailed a “critical” year for the company, which included the largest deal in its history when it bought the South West-based Helston Group.
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