A MUCH-LOVED car dealership selling a number of popular brands has closed down, leaving customers devastated.
The family-run showroom, which was set up nearly 60 years ago, announced plans to wind up its retail department in January.
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Furness Park, in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, shut its doors after an extensive consultation.
The shop was opened in 1966 by Alan Stoker as a combined petrol station, garage and sales business.
In the almost six decades since it has been managed by Alan and his family with thousands of satisfied customers.
Now though, the family cites post-pandemic changes in the resale market as a key factor in the decision to shut up shop.
Glenn Stoker, the managing partner of Furness Park, told the North West Evening Mail: “The used car market has changed unrecognisably since the Covid-19 pandemic.
“The availability of high-quality vehicles that fit the profile of Furness Park stock – and more importantly meet the expectations of our discerning customers – is increasingly challenged.
“Without the volume of suitable vehicles we need to run a viable retail business, we have had to reassess how we might operate going forward.
“It is with great sadness that we are proposing to bring to a close what has been an extraordinarily happy, productive and fulfilling period of retail trading.”
A total of 11 staff members were affected by the closure.
Glenn explained the company will now focus on its existing trade relationships with other retail companies.
He added: “Furness Park has been a part of the Barrow community for many decades and we have always enjoyed and have been proud of the role we have played in it.”
Since the announcement, the site has been acquired by Pye Motors, becoming the chain’s second specialist Ford dealer in the city.
A deal was negotiated in April, with Glenn saying he was “delighted” to hand it over to another family business.
And Nick Payne, Pye’s managing director, said: “We are delighted and proud to be able to acquire this well-established and significant building and footprint from the Stoker family.
“We are pleased to be able to expand at such an exciting time for the town and the wider community with investment coming into Barrow at an unprecedented level.
“The area has a very exciting, vibrant and secure future.”
It comes after a veteran car salesman revealed the tricks of the trade dealers use to bump up prices.
Meanwhile, a new study revealed the top three reasons most Brits would never buy an EV.
