Arnold Clark Group has continued to expand with a takeover of a long-standing Skoda dealer in Scotland.

After 27 years as Skoda main dealer for the north of Scotland, Delmore Cars of Inverness has been sold to the Arnold Clark Group, the company’s first Skoda site, soon to be followed by a second in Edinburgh.

Owner Robert Osborn retired after a motor industry career that has included spells as a development engineer with Ford and Lotus.

“The last 27 years have been busy,” he said, “and I wouldn’t change it for anything. It’s been challenging and sometimes difficult, but I’ve had great staff and a really loyal Skoda customer base. Not every franchise can claim that.”

In addition to Skoda, the garage formerly ran dealerships at Inverness for Proton and Suzuki from a base on the Carse Industrial Estate.

Delmore moved into the Carse in a big way in 2006 when Osborn and dealer principal Rob Mitchell invested £1.5 million in a new purpose-built Skoda dealership that now sells around 280 new cars a year in addition to more than 150 used.
Delmore and its staff of 18 is now part of the Arnold Clark Group.

Skoda recently told AM that it was keen to get more large retail groups involved with its franchise to help drive sales to business and private customers.