Yorkshire dealer Nidd Vale Group has announced record turnover up 14% to more than £75m for the year to April. The company put its strong performance down to a successful expansion into the fleet market, taking orders worth more than £3m from Yorkshire Water, which involved 100 Vauxhall Combo dual fuel vans, and Enterprise Rent-a-car.

The move helped boost new car sales to 6,800 units, 500 more than in the previous 12 months.

Richard Jackson, Nidd Vale chairman, said: “Since the start of 2001, sales volumes have further increased helped by continuing low interest rates and renewed customer confidence following genuine reductions in new car prices.”

Nidd Vale has been highly active over the past 12 months, investing £3m in the UK's first Vauxhall/Saab shared dealership. The 100-car showroom in Harrogate indicates the future for Vauxhall, which is expected to encourage more dealers to open shared sites.

The group was also one of just 50 dealers nationwide to be appointed to sell Vauxhall's VX220 sportscar.