8:37 pm, February 24, 2012
ONE of Honda’s first-ever dealerships in the UK has been honoured by the Japanese firm with a special award.
Locally-based, family owned car and motorcycle dealership Lings has enjoyed a unique 50-year association with Honda.
And that relationship has been marked with a specially commissioned award presented by Honda UK managing director Dave Hodgetts.
The story began in 1961 when Honda was looking for dealers to introduce the Japanese brand’s motorcycles to UK consumers – and David Jary, managing director of PFK Ling Ltd, in Harleston, Norfolk, was such a dealer.
Lings was also one of, if not the first, dealership in Britain to stock Honda cars in the mid-1960s believing UK customers would appreciate the quality and reliability of the products on offer.
50 years on the business, now run by Chris Jary, son of David, still enjoys an excellent relationship with Honda, stocking Honda cars, motorcycles and power equipment from a group of dealerships based in Harleston, Lowestoft, Ipswich and Watton.
The firm also stocks Honda marine, garden and energy products, as well as maintaining the largest Honda genuine parts warehouse in Europe.
Honda MD Dave Hodgetts said it was a ‘privilege’ to be able to offer his and Honda UK’s congratulations personally to owners David and Ann Jary and directors Chris Jary and Paul Barkshire, at Lings of Lowestoft.
Chris Jary said: ‘It is almost incredible that it has been fifty years since Lings first began selling Honda products. We are always delighted by the fantastic support we receive from Honda, and the excellent quality of the products they continue to develop and manufacture.
‘As a family owned and run business we are delighted to receive this one-of-a-kind award. We are immensely proud of our uniquely close working relationship with Honda UK and look forward to it enduring for many years to come.’
