JCT600 buys back Rawdon roundabout site

JCT600’s iconic site on the Rawdon roundabout near Bradford is back in the ownership of the Yorkshire family after the land was re-acquired as part of a seven figure investment opportunity, 42 years after being sold.

Known locally as ‘the JCT roundabout’, the site is the home of the company’s first dealership. It was bought by current chairman Jack Tordoff in 1968, but he sold the land four years later in order to raise funds to invest in developing the business.

Originally founded in 1946, he built the company up from a single garage over 44 years before moving to the role of chairman in 2002.

JCT600 has grown into one of the region’s best known car retailers and one of the UK’s largest privately owned independent motor groups representing 21 franchises and operating from 50 dealerships across the North.

While in the ownership of a variety of operators of petrol stations over the past four decades, the site continued to house the JCT600 dealership for various brands such as Nissan, Colt, Aston Martin and Isuzu. More recently it was home to the JCT600 Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep showroom for 20 years before JCT600 redeveloped it in 2010 and launched its PriceRight concept to showcase good quality second hand vehicles.

Having added a Sainsburys Local store at the front of the site, a developer acting for the owner has now sold the entire investment comprising the JCT600 dealership, the petrol station and the convenience store to JCT600.

“It’s good to have the Rawdon roundabout site back in the JCT600 family – I decided to sell and lease back the property to raise investment capital for the business in 1972, but I‘ve always regretted having to do so,” says Mr Tordoff, chairman of JCT600.

“Due to a clause we inserted in our lease some time ago, we’ve had the opportunity to buy back the site – the location is synonymous with the JCT600 brand and is part of our long heritage, so we’re pleased to have the deeds back with us after more than 40 years.”

 

 

Click here to sign up to receive our new South West business news...
Close