Work has started on Cotswold Motor Group’s flagship BMW, Mini and Motorrad retail centre in Cheltenham, costing around £20 million.
A partner in the business Andrew Hucoop said: “It’s taken a lot of time and planning but we finally have a spade in the ground.
“As can be seen from the artist’s impression (see images below) the facility promises to be stunning.
“It will be four stories high and designed especially to provide an environment where our customers can explore the BMW, MINI and Motorrad ranges with ease and in comfortable surroundings.”
The site is located off Grovefield Way in Cheltenham, close to the A40.
Cotswold Motor Group hopes the site will be open 12 months.
Kevin Davidson, retailer development director BMW UK, said: "This will be a flagship site for the BMW Group, displaying as it will a very large number of our new BMW and Mini vehicles and products, as well as our BMW Motorrad motorcycles.
“The local planning officials wanted us to create a landmark site between Gloucester and Cheltenham, and if you look at the designs, I’m sure you will agree that this has been achieved in full measure.
“Outside of the Greater London area, this will be one of the largest BMW and Mini centres in the UK.
“We are delighted that, together with our valued franchise partners the Cotswold Group, we have been able to establish a single efficient site to cater for our customers in the wider Cheltenham and Gloucester area.
“I would invite people to come to the new facility as soon as it is opened, to enjoy not only our products, but the whole experience. We support Cotswold in making this a destination site to enjoy.
Cotswold is one of the leaders in enhancing the retail experience within the automotive world and this new site will allow them to showcase some excellent processes."
Cotswold Group was established in March 1995.
The business has dealerships representing the BMW and Mini brands in Cheltenham, Gloucester and Hereford with the Gloucester site also representing BMW Motorrad.
Cotswold Group employs around 300 full and part-time staff.
The Grovefield Way site presents an opportunity for Cotswold Group to achieve the expansion and relocation that the business requires and provides a prominent accessible gateway location for the BMW brand.
The business has seen steady growth over the last five years with staff numbers also increasing by around 70%.
Image: Cotswold Motor Group partner Peter Harris (left), Kevin Davidson, retailer development director BMW UK (centre) and Andrew Hulcoop, Cotswold Motor Group partner (right).
Jeremy has been a journalist for 30 years, 20 of which have been in business-to-business automotive. He was a writer and news editor on AM-sister brand Fleet News for three years before setting up the AM website. For the last five years he has been Bauer B2B’s head of digital helping to manage the digital assets of AM, together with Fleet News, Commercial Fleet, Rail and Smart Transport.
Peter - 23/05/2015 10:33
Extremely brave move given the appetite by manufacturers to go it alone in retailing via shopping centres (Hyundai ) and Toyota slowly taking over major cities(Manchester and London).