Vertu Motors has created 19 jobs at its support centre within its Gateshead headquarters to help field sales enquiries coming in to the group from across the UK.

The majority of the positions (17) are for aftersales contact centre staff, the last two positions are for receptionists for its centralised reception service centre.

Vertu grew its aftersales gross profits last year with strengthened parts and bodyshop margins offsetting a decline in service margin due to a strategy to attract older vehicles through lower pricing
The top 10 AM100 group now has 83 dealerships and passed the £1 billion turnover mark for the first time in its financial results which were released in February.

Robert Forrester, Vertu chief executive, told North East Business: "When four of us founded the Group from a single office in Newcastle in late 2006, it was difficult to imagine that we would now employ nearly 3,000 people across the UK."