8:02 am, August 7, 2025
A pair of car dealerships which were closed down when Marshall Motor Group decided to ‘downsize’ its relationship with Stellantis are to reopen after the retailer agreed new franchise agreements with BYD.
Car Dealer reported back in March that Peugeot sites in Canterbury and Ashford were among four to close in a move which ‘blindsided’ staff.
A number of job losses followed, with employees saying the move ‘pulled the rug from under people’, but the doors are now set to re-open, after talks with the Chinese giant.
BYD will officially take over the two showrooms from September, with bosses promising to deliver ‘exceptional, consistent customer experiences’.
They will join Marshall’s existing BYD dealerships in Maidstone, Northampton, Peterborough and St Neots as the brand continues to grow its UK network.
The news was confirmed by Constellational Retail Group CEO, Gary Savage, who explained that the decision to partner with BYD was part of a wider drive to develop a more ‘innovative and diverse’ network.
He said: ‘These additional stores reinforce the group’s ambition to develop a balanced portfolio of brands with an innovative and diverse offering for future mobility.
‘Our enhanced geographical presence creates a network of locations in close proximity, reinforcing our commitment to providing greater convenience and delivering exceptional, consistent customer experiences.’
BYD is currently aiming to reach 120 dealers in the UK by the end of 2025 as it motors towards its goal of being the UK’s biggest car brand in the next three years.
Speaking on the Car Dealer Podcast earlier this year, Steve Beattie, sales and marketing director of BYD UK, said: ‘BYD’s ambition was to be number one in China, going back a few years and they are now number one in China.
‘The ambition they’re constantly looking at is to be number one in the world. If you’re going to be number one car manufacturer in the world, you’re going to have to be number one in the big markets like the UK to be able to do that.
‘The UK is a really interesting market because actually, us as Brits, receive new brands very well.’
