Bodyshop Anderson & Young has closed after more than a quarter century in the accident repair industry.

Founded by managing director Ken Anderson, the business in County Durham was one of the UK’s leading bodyshops in the Nineties and a UK Bodyshop of the Year winner in 1997.

However, Anderson predicted in the late Nineties that the accident repair sector would consolidate considerably in the new millennium, therefore creating a smaller number of larger businesses.

Anderson was unafraid of confrontation, which led to a diminishing level of business during the last three to four years.

AM has been unable to contact Anderson. However, we understand that the 30,000sq ft site in Langley Park is being sold to a developer and will be replaced by housing.

Industry consultant Robert Hadfield, of Auto Body Professionals, says: “This is a high profile business that’s gone out in a whimper rather than a bang. I think Ken has just had enough and decided to call it a day.”