11:26 am, April 26, 2023
Dealer group Macklin Motors has stepped in to rescue a singer-songwriter from disaster after he was left without a tour bus for upcoming shows.
Rising star Callum Beattie saw his UK tour plunged into doubt when funding for his bus was pulled at the last minute earlier this year.
However, after seeing the performer’s album Vandals reach number one in the Scottish charts, Macklin Motors decided to offer much needed help.
The retailer, which is part of Vertu, agreed to loan the songsmith a hybrid Nissan Qashqai for the 10-show tour.
Despite being able to write a great driving beat, Beattie doesn’t actually hold a driving licence himself, so manager Dave R0gers has been handed the task of ferrying him around the country to shows.
Both men went to collect the SUV from their local Macklin Motors Glasgow South Nissan dealership, where the singer expressed his gratitude for the much-needed help.
He said: ‘Like guardian angels, Macklin Motors came to our rescue and saved us by generously agreeing to provide a great car for the tour.
‘The Qashqai, from their Glasgow South Nissan dealership, is a great size for fitting my guitar, keyboard and other equipment in. With being a hybrid vehicle too, it’s certainly better for the environment than a large tour bus would have been.
‘I knew the team at Macklin Motors from their support of my buddy, [British Touring Car Championship racer] Ronan Pearson, so they were my first thought, and thankfully they were able to help out.
‘I would have been gutted to let down everyone who has bought tickets, especially after showing me so much support over these last few years. There is nothing better than playing in front of a crowd!’
Paul Kerr, general manager of Macklin Motors Glasgow South Nissan, added: ‘We were delighted to give local lad Callum Beattie a Nissan Qashqai for his UK tour. We’re all fans of his work here, as are many of my colleagues across the Macklin Motors brand.
‘We’re very pleased that Callum can get out and see his fans; we wish him the best of luck with his gigs!’
