12:26 pm, April 16, 2023
A Yorkshire car dealer has announced it will be closing its Fiat dealership following the brand’s network restructure.
Piccadilly Motors Ripon Fiat, on Dallamires Lane, will close later this month on April 28.
It received notice that Fiat was ending the franchise agreement and will no longer be represented in the town.
The business has said it will move Fiat and Abarth aftersales to the group’s Kia dealership in Knaresborough.
With customers now needing to travel to a dealership 10 miles away, Piccadilly Motors has put on more support including more courtesy cars.
Managing director Simon Watts told local news publication the Stray Ferret: ‘We have managed this carefully and because of the growth of the business we have in Knaresborough, most customers have already migrated to the Kia product and we’re also doing Fiat servicing at Knaresborough, as well as MOTs.
‘It’s the same with staff. We’ve really handled that in the most sympathetic manner we could. Fortunately, only one person will lose their job, who doesn’t want to travel, but they’ve managed to get another job elsewhere.
‘It has been an absolute priority for us to handle it in the most customer- and colleague-friendly manner.’
Speaking with the Stray Ferret, Watts said the team had tried to find a new brand partner for the location but had been unable to because of a ‘challenging market’.
He added: ‘It’s disappointing, but thankfully we’ve got a business in close proximity that can carry on providing a service.’
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