8:52 pm, March 4, 2011
AN Uddingston car dealer is celebrating two landmarks this month – 50 years in business and 20 years as a Seat dealer.
Family-run dealership W Livingstone hit both milestones this month and marked the occasion with a lavish birthday bash for staff past and present.
Founded in 1961 by the late Glaswegian motor trader William Livingstone and his son John, now 71, the business has become a part of the fabric of Uddingston, having occupied the same prominent site from the very beginning.
Originally a Ford garage, the business soon came to specialise in British brands and represented a wide variety of marques including Austin, Morris and Rover down the years.
Then, in 1991, the business was awarded the local Seat franchise and it has not looked back since.
Establishing a reputation for excellent service the dealership has built a loyal army of customers, many of whom have been with them since the early days.
And with the business now in the stewardship of John’s children, Robin Livingstone and Jan Alderdice, who were both raised a stone’s throw from the showroom, things don’t look like changing any time soon.
Looking back on the past five decades a proud Robin Livingstone said: ‘This business has been a part of my family for as long as I can remember, and I know that’s the same for many of our staff and customers.
‘Being rooted in the community and having so many staff who were raised and still live locally has been a major factor in our success down the years and will continue to be in the future. It’s allowed us to build strong relationships with our customers which have kept them coming back time and time again.’
Livingstone added: ‘Although car design and the technology may have changed immeasurably over the last 50 years, our guiding principles of honest work, a fair price and always giving great customer service remain the same today as they were in 1961.’
