Deejay Accident Repair Centres has sold its Hertfordshire headquarters and cut its workforce by more than one third in a move designed to focus its business on its inner-M25 operations.

Disposal of the £3m turnover Broxbourne site leaves the group turning over £6m from its three bodyshops in London, based in Tottenham, Wood Green and Finchley.

Rye Street Coachworks will take over the Broxbourne property and 39 of Deejay’s staff at the end of the month. Rye Street Coachworks already has bodyshops in Bishops Stortford, Cheshunt and Haverhill.

Dave Shepherd, Deejay ARC’s managing director, says he took the decision as the Broxbourne lease was coming up for renewal.

The group headquarters and training centre will be relocated to a new property in Barnet, north London, and some administrative roles will be devolved to the bodyshops.

The group workforce will be reduced to 60.

“This is an opportunity for us to concentrate our investments, and become more streamlined and prepared for current industry challenges,” says Shepherd.

“We understand the London market, we’re very successful there in getting the good quality and quantity of work we need, and we see our future there.”

He says the Broxbourne business is successful, but that it no longer fits in with group strategy, which is to expand the business within the M25 in the medium term.