Harrogate dealership switches car brand after owners sign new contract

One of Harrogate’s most prominent car dealerships is rebranding and restocking after its owner changed supplier. 

The Citroën showroom on Wetherby Road is in the process of becoming an MG Motors dealership; the premises are being repainted, staff are being trained on new software and a fleet of brand new cars arrived this morning. Managers expect the change to be completed over the coming week. 

Just Motor Group, the Keighley-based firm which took over the dealership 10 years ago, has invested about £50,000 in revamping the premises. All employees have kept their jobs, and the business has taken on two more, bringing its headcount to 15. 

Kevin Tyrrell, sales director of Just Motor Group, told the Stray Ferret the move had come about because Stellantis – the automotive multinational that owns Citroën, as well as Fiat, Jeep, Peugeot, Vauxhall and others – had terminated all dealership contracts and then offered new ones on different terms. He said: 

“It just wasn’t going to be financially viable for us. Historically, we’ve sold about 300 new cars a year from that site, but that wasn’t going to be possible under the new contract they offered.

“Fortunately, it was then that MG Motors stepped in with a better offer – it was perfect timing for us. They offer a seven-year warranty, they’re affordable, and they’re up-and-coming. Citroën has a 1.6% market share in the UK, whereas MG Motors have a 4.6% share, and it’s growing – so we’re definitely going in the right direction.”

Photo of the Citroen garage on Wetherby Road in Harrogate, which is currently being transformed into an MG Motors dealership by owner The Just Motor Group.

The change from Citroën to MG Motors is expected to be completed over the coming week.

But he said the garage’s existing Citroën customers need not worry that they are being left in the lurch. He said: 

“We’re still a Citroën authorised repairer, so we can still do warranty work, servicing and MOTs. In fact, we can even supply new vehicles and will have some parked outside. So we’re not just closing the door and forcing Citroën customers to find somewhere else – from an after-sales point of view, we’re still a Citroën garage.”

MG Cars was founded in Oxford as Morris Garages Ltd in 1924, later becoming part of British Leyland and then the MG Rover Group. It is now owned by SAIC Motor Corp Ltd, China’s largest state-owned car manufacturer, and the cars are made in China. 

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Motorhouse owner sad to be retiring from the car trade

The owner of the Motorhouse car dealership on the Ripon Road near Killinghall says he is sad to be selling the business and retiring.

Seventy-seven-year-old John Steele has been trading cars on the landmark site for a quarter of a century, and this week the Stray Ferret reported that the site is to be sold at auction.

Mr Steele said he has loved his work:

“I love what I do – I’ve been here 25 years. I don’t really want to retire but my good lady says we need more quality time together.

“If we sell it, I’ll be sad. The building has been here years and years. Years ago it was a tea room and then a petrol station and then the showroom was added on. It’s a landmark being on the main road.”

Mr Steele’s love of cars began in his childhood. His favourite car is an E-Type Jaguar which as a young man he’d always dreamed of owning. He went on to own quite a few of them.

Over the past 25 years, the trade has changed. He began in 1967 by simply putting a van-for-sale advert in his local newspaper. Now the internet means he’s had buyers from all over the world:

“The farthest we’ve sold a car is to Australia. One was a Ford Cosworth 500 – the other was a BMW. Just from the internet. And also to the Outer Hebrides.

“That’s the power of the internet. I never even met the people who bought the cars.”

As his car dealing career comes to a close at the site, Mr Steele says he recently sold his most expensive car, a Rolls Royce Ghost for £90,000.

Predictably for a man who loves cars, Mr Steele owns a few and plans to enjoy taking them to car shows and doing the odd bit of trade with some friends.

The property is now up for auction with Myrings estate agents – with a guide price of £800,000. Called Harrogate View Grange, it includes Motorhouse’s showroom with garage and workshop, a 25-car forecourt, and a three-bedroom house with undercroft garaging.

Asked what he thinks will happen to the site, he said:

“I think it would suit many other things rather than cars – there is also the house here which is empty at the moment. It would suit many other trades. It’s a landmark..”

The auction is due to close at 2pm on Thursday, April 27.

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Alleged victims of fraud at Knaresborough car dealership call for more police action

The victims of an alleged fraud involving Porsches in Knaresborough have criticised police for the lack of progress in the investigation.

North Yorkshire Police launched an investigation in summer 2019 after allegations that dealership Gmund transferred ownership of cars worth more than £1 million without the owners’ permission.

A man in his 50s was arrested at the time and released under investigation.

Now, almost four years on, the alleged victims have questioned why there has been no update from police since February 2022. One told the Stray Ferret:

“Beyond the frustration, it is more a case of losing faith in the judiciary system and rule of law.”

Asked for an update, a spokesperson for North Yorkshire Police last week said:

“There is no update in the investigation into a Knaresborough car dealership previously enquired about. The investigation remains ongoing, one suspect remains under investigation.”

The Stray Ferret first published at story in summer 2020 after speaking to six alleged victims of fraud at Gmund.

One man, Anthony Place, claimed he was never paid the £52,000 he was owed when his car was sold in early 2019. He grew so frustrated that he painted a message asking for his money on the side of his other Porsche – and hired a plane with a banner bearing the same words to fly over the dealership.

Another man contacted the Stray Ferret to say he had bought a car from Gmund and had since been told by police he was unable to sell or modify the vehicle while the investigation continued.

One of the alleged victims, who asked not to be named, told the Stray Ferret last week he was frustrated by the slow progress of the investigation:

“What disturbs me somewhat is how long this has been dragging on.

“The police had advised me to appoint a solicitor. Legal advice means a lot of money and in my case we have nothing to work from except that others have not had the money they are owed.”

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Gmund was founded in 2006 and was known for buying and selling classic Porsche cars.

The company, which was based at the Nidd Valley Business Park, was dissolved in 2020 and its owner Andrew Mearns was declared bankrupt.

His wife, the former Conservative councillor for Knaresborough Scriven Park, Samantha Mearns, was company secretary from the time it was founded until December 2018.

Ms Mearns told the Stray Ferret in 2020 she was never interviewed by police in relation to the allegations. In July 2021, she resigned from the council and moved to Wales, citing family reasons.

The administrator’s report from June 2020 found more than £1 million in claims stacked up against the business with only £15,000 in assets.

The alleged victim added:

“The police do not seem to be very active. The police, particularly in North Yorkshire, need to rebuild their reputation.

“Regular updates which had been promised have not been exactly forthcoming. It does not put the police in a good light. Mum’s the word and that is not good enough.”

Used car dealership launches in Harrogate as second hand market booms

A new used car dealership has launched in Harrogate which aims to make buying a vehicle an “enjoyable and relaxed experience”.

Carlingo, which is based in the former Evans Halshaw showroom on Wetherby Road, has more than 120 cars in stock, ranging from a Nissan Micra to  Porsche Macan.

The company says it believes in “quality not quantity” and prides itself on finding cars that have the most desired optional extras. These include  a panoramic sunroof, heated seats, sat nav and upgraded alloys.

The second hand market grew 11.5 per cent on the back of the short supply of new vehicles, with 777,997 more sales than the previous year, according to figures released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

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A Carlingo spokesperson said:

“We know that buying a car is a big decision, but that doesn’t mean it has to be a difficult one. Our friendly team is on hand at our spacious and relaxing new Harrogate showroom.”

The showroom on Freeman’s Way has been refurbished and boasts stylish modern interior.