The Sunderland-based group has acquired outlets at Livingston and at Sighthill on the west of Edinburgh from Renault Retail Group. It is the first time Renault has worked with a single retailer in Edinburgh.
The overall investment is worth £5m and represents significant growth in one of the group's target regions. The number of Reg Vardy operations in east Scotland has doubled to 15 since the start of last year when it acquired the east of Edinburgh territory.
And Sir Peter Vardy, chief executive, is promising further growth north of the border. “We are looking to grow our presence in Scotland and if an opportunity arises we are well placed to deal with it,” he says.
“There is nothing in the pipeline at the moment and over the next few months we will be focusing on settling the businesses down.”
The west of Edinburgh dealership, in Bankhead Avenue, Sighthill, lies on a four-acre site just off the city bypass. Facilities include a used car display area for 120 vehicles, a new car showroom, service and parts departments and a bodyshop. The dealership is also a designated Renault Business Centre, specialising in supplying small fleets.
Fifteen miles west, Livingston is a new location for Reg Vardy. The dealership covers two acres with a showroom for seven vehicles and a used car area where 80 vehicles can be displayed. Both sites will be refurbished to bring them up to current Renault standards so customers will begin to see improvements immediately. Staff who previously worked for Renault Retail Group have been offered new contracts and the company will be recruiting locally to strengthen the teams at each site.
The third dealership covering the east of Edinburgh, which includes a Renault Minute service centre, will continue to operate initially from Reg Vardy's existing premises in Seafield Road until a new site is identified for a stand-alone dealership. The group now has six sites in Edinburgh.
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