Growth in the driving seat at Lancaster firm

A family-run tyre firm has acquired a new garage in Lancaster with support from Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking.

Lime Tree Garage, based on High Road in Halton has relaunched as an Hi-Q franchise, after it was bought by Meg and Steve Marshall.

The garage has now been completely rebranded and will be offering a range of new services, such as MOTs and tyre fitting.

The couple also own a second Hi-Q franchise in Lancaster, which they acquired in 2012.

Marshall said: “Lime Tree Garage already has an excellent reputation across Halton, and we wanted to build on this success by offering a range of new services and making our opening times more flexible for customers.

“As a result of acquiring the site, we’ve been able to create two new jobs and will be looking to establish more positions as the company grows.

“Launching a franchise can be a complex process, but the team at Lloyds Bank were always on hand to provide specialist support throughout the process.”

Will Macdonald, relationship manager for Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking, said: “Meg and Stephen have wanted to own a second garage for a number of years, so when Lime Tree Garage became available we provided the help they needed to secure it quickly.

“The garage is already a vital part of the local economy. Expanding the business will create more opportunities for people living in the area.

“More than two thirds of businesses in the UK are family owned, and providing the guidance they need to thrive is one of the many ways that we’re helping Britain prosper.”