Gordons weathers the storm

GREATER Manchester car dealer Gordons withstood the downturn to record a slight uplift in sales last year, but higher costs dented profits.

Turnover at the family-owned Ford dealership, which operates from Wigan and Bolton, rose from £77.5m to £78.7m in the year to December 31, according to recently filed accounts.

However, costs were high – the cost of sales came in at £72.1m – which left the group with a small profit margin.

It made a pre-tax profit of £151,994 compared with a loss of £279,166 in 2007.

Car dealers have been hit by the credit crunch with many reporting a sharp slump in sales. ACEA, the European manufacturers’ trade body, said the sales decline started in April last year.

Members of the management team at Gordons could not be reached to discuss the figures.