• Car Dealer Plus
No Result
View All Result
  • Latest
  • Used Cars
  • Live
  • Forum
  • Power 2020
  • UCA 2020
  • UCA 2021
  • CDX
  • Knowledge
  • Suppliers Guide
  • About Us
  • Latest Issue
  • Top 100
  • CD Plus
  • Latest
  • Used Cars
  • Live
  • Forum
  • Power 2020
  • UCA 2020
  • UCA 2021
  • CDX
  • Knowledge
  • Suppliers Guide
  • About Us
  • Latest Issue
  • Top 100
  • CD Plus
No Result
View All Result

Car dealerships throw open their doors again across the country; Are car dealerships open again in Tiers 2 and 3?

James Baggott by James Baggott
December 4, 2020
0
Home News

Car dealers in England are reopening their showrooms today after the second national lockdown forced them to operate online only.

Customers will once again be able to visit car dealerships as they begin to operate under the same Covid Secure guidelines they opened under during the summer.

Most car dealerships have managed to continue operations on some level during the 28-day shut down, offering click and collect and home deliveries via their websites.


However, dealerships up and down the country will be delighted that they can once again welcome customers back into showrooms.

November new car orders fell 30 per cent and used car sales declined by 39.5 per cent against the same month last year during the shutdown.

The figures from lead management firm Dealerweb, which studied 800 car dealers, also found that enquiries dropped by a third.

‘It was inevitable that a second national lockdown would have a negative impact on orders,’ said the firm’s MD James Hill. 


Car dealers will be hoping there is a bounce in new and used car demand in December, though, traditionally one of the trade’s quietest months.

Bosses Car Dealer spoke to believe there is some pent-up demand out there.

While some buyers were happy to complete a deal remotely, many have stalled a decision until the reopening.

Vertu Motors boss Robert Forrester said it was ‘great to be back in business’ and thanked the Prime Minister Boris Johnson for allowing dealerships to operate again.

What’s allowed in car dealerships in Tier 2 and Tier 3?

  • Test drives are available
  • Showroom visits allowed (mostly by appointment)
  • New car sales allowed 
  • Used car sales allowed
  • Service and MOTs allowed

Many franchised main dealerships are still operating live video appointments for those customers who don’t want to visit showrooms.

Dealer group TrustFord was ‘delighted’ to be reopening showrooms, said CEO and chairman Stuart Foulds in a post on social media.

The group will be continuing to offer video appointments, click and collect and home delivery despite its showrooms across the country being allowed to reopen.

Chorley Group sales and marketing director Adam Turner said that despite the full lockdown they had managed to hit 80 per cent of the sales they achieved in November 2019.

Revealing that Trading Standards had mystery shopped the dealerships five times to ‘catch them out’, the group still managed to ‘adapt’ to the restrictions and continue to sell cars.

He posted on LinkedIn: ‘The pandemic has made the automotive industry and the businesses within it that were clinging on to the past catch up with the rest, but it will not change consumer behaviour completely – embrace change and work with it not against it.’

We are pleased to say that our showrooms are open again and we'd love to see you. Visit us in person or online, where you can search for, reserve and buy your BMW, book a test drive*. https://t.co/a6zeOzdHyR

(*Subject to applicant status and availability.) pic.twitter.com/JTYAfuYIHy

— Vines BMW (@VinesBMW) December 2, 2020

Independent used car dealerships also adapted quickly to the lockdown restrictions.

Big Motoring World revealed last week that it managed to match last year’s November sales volumes via click and collect alone.

Ben Goodwin, dealer principal of the group’s Enfield site, said: ‘With fantastic growth this year and a record breaking click and collect month behind us we are now looking forward and are hugely excited to be reopening our doors to the public.’

All eyes will now turn to the December figures. Many dealerships are still operating with staff on furlough and the flexible scheme has given dealers the ability to keep costs low in a traditionally quiet month.

One industry expert told Car Dealer: ‘What a God send to be able to furlough staff at a time that is usually quiet anyway. Some dealers we work with are keeping staff on furlough and only bringing them back when demand requires it and are keeping their overheads low over Christmas.’

Most car dealers have managed to weather the pandemic well with listed dealer groups already posting impressive numbers. Despite the lockdown, used car dealer group Motorpoint said last week it had increased profit in the first half of the year.

Privately, some dealers have revealed record years as a combination of lower overheads, government support, huge demand and buoyant used car prices have helped keep margins higher than ever.

Details: Are car dealers open in Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3?

  • Register as a Car Dealer member and get more out of the website here
  • Car Dealer Mag issue 153 is out now – Read it here
  • Join our breaking news WhatsApp group – Click here to join now

Get more from Car Dealer

  • Premium stories
  • Used car data
  • Magazine early access
Register

Or Sign in

Related Posts

Trade Centre UK creates 200 jobs with its first car superstore in England
News

Trade Centre Group smashes its record for used car sales with all-time high during week of reopening

April 19, 2021
Richard Parry-Jones has died
News

Tributes to Richard Parry-Jones continue as Marshall and Aston Martin update investors

April 19, 2021
Cambria Automobile sign
News

Cambria management team given more time to get a deal together as it looks to take listed group private

April 19, 2021
learner drivers will take tests again this week
News

April 19 round-up: Driving tests to resume; Volunteers re-exposed to Covid-19; Issa brothers buy Leon

April 19, 2021
Alpine A110 Legende
Car News

First drive: Alpine A110 gets more luxurious with new comfort focused Legende

April 19, 2021
DA Store North Birmingham
News

DS dealer network set to shrink as partners including Robins & Day look to reduce showroom space

April 19, 2021

Want the latest news?

Sign up to Car Dealer's daily news email updates

Subscribe
Electrified vehicle registrations overtake diesels for the first time in Europe
News

What is stopping car buyers from switching to EV? Our exclusive White Paper reveals all

April 16, 2021
How many car dealerships does each manufacturer have in the UK? Car Dealerships Locations List 2021 revealed
News

How many car dealerships does each manufacturer have in the UK? Car Dealerships Locations List 2021 revealed

March 12, 2021
Used Car Awards with Mike Brewer and James Baggott graphi
News

Who won what at the Used Car Awards 2020? Mike Brewer reveals our winning car dealers

March 12, 2021
Used Car Awards 2021 logo
Used Car Awards

Used Car Awards 2021 will be back in all their glory on November 29 hosted by Mike Brewer

April 15, 2021
The Newcomers: Here are the 10 electric car brands coming to a forecourt near you soon
News

The Newcomers: Here are the 10 electric car brands coming to a forecourt near you soon

March 30, 2021
Trophy Cars forecourt
News

Investigation: Meet the hyper-specialist car dealers making their money from weird and wonderful motors

March 12, 2021
Car Dealer Top 100 – The list in full of the most profitable car dealers in the UK
Car Dealer Top 100

Car Dealer Top 100 – The list in full of the most profitable car dealers in the UK

February 10, 2021
BMW, Mercedes, Audi and Volvo, could they be sold under one roof?
News

Multi franchising: Premium brands rule out selling cars alongside rivals in same dealer – as others remain tight-lipped

March 11, 2021
  • Latest
  • Used Cars
  • Live
  • Forum
  • Power 2020
  • UCA 2020
  • UCA 2021
  • CDX
  • Knowledge
  • Suppliers Guide
  • About Us
  • Latest Issue
  • Top 100
  • CD Plus
Call us: 020 8125 3880

© 2020 Blackball Media

No Result
View All Result
  • Car Dealer Plus
  • Latest
  • Used Cars
  • Live
  • Forum
  • Power 2020
  • Used Car Awards 2020
  • Used Car Awards 2021
  • CDX
  • Knowledge
  • Suppliers Guide
  • About Us
  • Latest Issue
  • Top 100

© 2020 Blackball Media

Log In
Register
Register
Server 2