Bosses at Jaguar Land Rover have upset AM100 vendor group JCT600 by eradicating its Doncaster Jaguar Land Rover dealership from the OEM’s community plan.
JLR’s strategic overview of its UK retail community is resulting in the dealership’s closure on the finish of March. Some 40 jobs are in danger however JCT600 mentioned it’s working onerous to search out different roles for as many as potential at its different dealerships.
It is lower than six years since JCT600 purchased the enterprise from Pendragon with JLR’s blessing – it was JCT600’s first and solely JLR enterprise, and on the time its administrators described it as “an ideal match” and an “apparent lacking hyperlink in our portfolio“.
After revealing the upcoming closure, govt chairman John Tordoff mentioned: “Naturally, we’re extraordinarily upset with JLR’s determination to shut our enterprise in Doncaster which, following our buy in 2018, we have now labored onerous to show right into a profitable operation. Doncaster is a thriving metropolis and our different companies within the space, Audi Doncaster, Mercedes-Benz of Doncaster and JCT600 Authorised Used, all carry out exceptionally effectively.
“Sadly, the scenario is completely out of our management and so our focus now could be to take care of all prospects and colleagues who’re affected.”
Having introduced its ‘home of manufacturers’ technique final 12 months, JLR is implementing company mannequin contracts and redefining its retail community, simply over a decade for the reason that ARCH funding necessities started.
JCT600 is investing in its remaining companies in Doncaster. In late 2023 it acquired a seven-acre website on Wheatley Corridor Street and can relocate its Audi Doncaster enterprise to that website in 2025.
It has additionally lately accredited plans to redevelop its Mercedes-Benz Doncaster and JCT600 Authorised Used Centre on the identical street.
Tordoff added: “We’re totally dedicated to the town of Doncaster and are excited with our ongoing funding plans which can all come collectively within the subsequent two years. Our Mercedes-Benz enterprise will briefly transfer into the present JLR premises as soon as they’re empty which can allow us to redevelop the Mercedes-Benz premises rapidly and with little or no inconvenience for patrons or colleagues. By the point that challenge is completed, we ought to be ready to start out work on our new Audi Doncaster dealership.
“Our whole funding in these initiatives can be in extra of £15m and we’re assured it will likely be cash effectively spent. Town of Doncaster has been very sort to JCT600 since we opened our first enterprise there over 20 years in the past.”
The Bradford-based AM100 vendor group additionally represents a variety of luxurious automobile marques, with manufacturers comparable to Aston Martin, Bentley, Ferrari, Maserati and Porsche at dealerships from Yorkshire and the North East to Derbyshire, Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire.
Responding to JCT600’s public disappointment, JLR UK managing director Patrick McGillycuddy mentioned: “We’re within the means of refining our UK retail operations as a part of our Reimagine technique. Below Reimagine, JLR will transition to a sustainable, trendy luxurious enterprise for essentially the most discerning purchasers.
“As such, our UK retail community can be rationalised to make sure we have now the correct companions in the correct places and within the case of JCT600, we have now elected to not renew our contract past November 2024.
“JCT600 has requested to depart the model forward of its contracted time period and JLR has agreed to help this request. We’re dedicated to supporting our purchasers in Doncaster with different native providers to make sure their service and upkeep wants are met with out disruption.”
JLR is directing prospects from the Doncaster space who want gross sales and repair help to a variety of different websites within the area, together with Hatfields Land Rover Hull, Sytner Land Rover Sheffield, Sytner Land Rover Wakefield and Duckworth Land Rover Market Rasen.
