Car dealer gears up for energy efficiency drive

MANCHESTER-based motor trader Lookers Group has agreed a £2m asset finance line to help its drive to become more energy efficient.

Barclays Asset Finance has tailored a bespoke solution for biomass heating and cooling throughout the Group with a standalone solar panel facility in Northern Ireland.

The deal team at Barclays in Manchester included relationship director Andrew Meadowcroft and asset finance director Stirling Hulme.

Lookers is a multi-franchise group operating from a number of locations throughout the UK and Ireland.

For the year ended 31 December 2014, Group revenue was £3,042.9m and profit before tax was £65m.

Lookers finance director Robin Gregson said: “We are aware that our activities do have an impact on the environment.

“The group has made a commitment to reduce energy consumption and the installation of biomass heating and cooling plants throughout the group’s operations is one of a number of steps we are taking as a business. We have a long standing relationship with Barclays and we are grateful they are supporting us on this journey.”

Meadowcroft said: “The Lookers Group is a valued and long standing client of Barclays. It is the value of this relationship and their unique property portfolio which allowed us to extend our products to support this transaction.”