8:28 am, January 14, 2025
A family-run car dealer has closed down suddenly, leading to 24 staff members being made redundant just days before Christmas.
Blackdown Motor Company has been selling cars across Somerset for more than 50 years but has now ceased trading after facing ‘extremely challenging conditions’.
Records on Companies House show that an extraordinary resolution to wind up the company was passed at a general meeting of the firm’s members just two days before Christmas, on December 23.
The official appointment of a voluntary liquidator followed last week (Jan 7), with Sonia Baigent of Assist Business Consulting Ltd placed in charge of the process.
A statement of affairs published last Friday (Jan 10) reveals that the company closed with vehicles totalling £2.36m in value. However, the firm’s finance provider liability came to £2.52m – leaving a deficit of more than £150,000.
Liquidators estimate that the rest of the firm’s assets will bring in £81,676. Elsewhere, the documents reveal liabilities of £261,928 to HMRC.
A spokesperson for Assist Business Consulting Ltd, which is overseeing the company’s liquidation, told the Somerset Leveller: ‘The directors made the decision to cease trading in early December and the company was formally placed into Liquidation on December 23, 2024.
‘Unfortunately, this resulted in 24 staff members being made redundant.
‘This was obviously a very difficult period for all involved and worsened by the unfortunate timing so close to the Christmas break.
‘Businesses are facing extremely challenging conditions at the moment and coming under increasing pressure and this is another unfortunate casualty of those conditions.
‘The Liquidator will now work to maximise the assets on behalf of the creditors and also liaise with its creditors, in particular the former employees and customers of the company, to assist them with the process and provide support to submit their claims.’
Prior to closing, the firm represented both KGM and Subaru from its site on Main Street in Walton, Somerset.
It previously operated franchises for a variety of brands, including Vauxhall and Citroen, in Taunton, Bridgwater and Yeovil.
