Independent auction group Aston Barclay has completed a £500,000 project to refurbish its Leeds auction centre.

The investment ensures its facilities are aligned with the remainder of the group, which has undergone a £1.7 million overhaul in the last 12 months.

Renovations of the five-acre Leeds site were completed in early May, with a new, fully-branded auction hall and rostrum the main focus of the improvements.

“The success and dedication of our Leeds team, who always go the extra mile, has allowed us to reinvest heavily in the site, aligning it with our centres in Essex, Shropshire and Wiltshire,” explained Martin Potter, group operations director at Aston Barclay.

Completed in Aston Barclay’s green and black livery, the new auction hall transforms the centre from a traditional auction into a state-of-the-art centre befitting its award-winning status. Aston Barclay’s digital routes to market are brought to the heart of the auction hall, with increased screen sizes and improved video feeds to Aston Barclay’s growing online buyer base.

The re-brand has also allowed interior storage space for sale vehicles to be better utilised, maximising stock turn and improving overall service levels.

The same considerations are displayed in the re-branded booking hall and reception area, allowing customers to keep abreast of all auction activity across the Group, while taking advantage of free onsite parking, refurbished bathrooms, free Wi-Fi and a soon-to-be-refurbished be customer café.

The refurbishment also includes a new vendor area, allowing sellers to keep up-to-date with their auction results, whilst having easy, direct access to the Leeds management’s increasing levels of service, ensuring that all areas of the remarketing process are conducted in an efficient, cost-effective manner.

“We look forward to welcoming new and existing fleet and dealer customers from across the UK, in the north and in the local area to our state-of-the-art Leeds centre, where they’ll continue to receive an unrivalled level of personal customer service,” added Potter.