3:17 pm, February 12, 2020
THE Sandicliffe group is closing three of its dealerships today as it focuses on its large-scale operations in the East Midlands.
Sandicliffe’s Ford dealerships in Hucknall and Melton Mowbray are closing with the business concentrating on its state-of-the-art FordStore showrooms in Nottingham and Leicester as well as its larger Ford site in Loughborough.
Sandicliffe Kia Melton Mowbray is also closing but the company’s Kia showrooms in Nottingham and Leicester will still be operational.
Around 50 members of staff have been affected by the closures – but Sandicliffe managing director Paul Woodhouse told the Melton Times that more than 95 per cent of them had accepted alternative employment within the group.
Explaining the rationale behind the re-organisation, a statement on the company’s website tells customers: ‘At our larger sites, we are able to offer you longer opening hours, quicker MOT and servicing facilities as well as a more personalised and exciting customer journey thanks to recent investments in technology and infrastructure.
‘The move allows customers to choose between three major Ford locations across the East Midlands, all of which offer first-class FordStore experiences from the very best in the industry.’
Paul Woodhouse, managing director of Sandicliffe, says on the site: ‘FordStores are the future of Ford Motor Company and we are delighted to have been chosen as a leading partner of Ford of Europe to continue the distribution and servicing of the historic brand.
‘We have invested heavily in our state-of-the-art FordStores in Nottingham and Leicester as well as making significant improvements to Sandicliffe Loughborough. In short, this merger enables us to provide our customers with better-quality facilities and a service they deserve.’
Picture (courtesy Google Street View): Sandicliffe’s Ford Store in Welford Road, Leicester
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