Harratts motors forward with its 11th dealership

A FAMILY-owned Yorkshire motor group is bucking the economic downturn with the opening of its eleventh dealership in the region.

Harratts has unveiled a new showroom in Wakefield alongside its existing Volvo site on Barnsley Road the opening of which is expected to create 30 new jobs.

The company, which was established in Ossett in 1966, will now sell Honda for the first time adding to the five other official motor manufacturer franchises it operates in the region.

Managing director Shaun Harratt said that the company was in a good position to continue steady growth.

He said: “We are a long-established, family-run business that prides itself on customer service, training and staff retention – the kind of values that resonate with customers.

“We have built a loyal customer base, a stable workforce and a solid management team which, combined with our business ethos, has enabled us to drive sales and expand in a time of market contraction – a position that few other motor groups find themselves in.”

Harratts already runs 10 dealer franchises in West and South Yorkshire for Nissan, Renault, Peugeot, Mitsubishi and Volvo.

Mr Harratt added: “It is exciting times for Honda, so it’s a great point in time to add the brand to our portfolio. We are already one of the largest independent Volvo dealer groups in the country and our aim is to replicate that success with Honda.”

Last year the Harratts group sold more than 8,000 new and used cars while its corporate sales division sold in excess of 1,000 vehicles.

The business was established by chairman Derek and finance director Stella Harratt.