Bristol Street Motors has spent £1m transforming its Harlow Peugeot dealership into a multi-franchise site, doubling its investment in the town and creating seven new jobs.

Following a £1m investment to refurbish a service centre on River Way late in 2021, Bristol Street Motors has renovated its Peugeot dealership to accommodate the addition of Citroen and Vauxhall franchises.

The latest spend brings the total investment in the area to £2m in the last 12 months, with more than 30 jobs created, and furthers parent company Vertu Motors' drive towards an increased number of multi-brand retail sites.

Richard Geary, general manager at Bristol Street Motors Harlow, said: “This has been a huge transformation for the location and demonstrates Bristol Street Motors’ confidence in the town.

"The site of the new showrooms had been a workshop for 20 years, seeing it stripped back and renovated to create the most modern of car dealerships has been amazing.

“The end result is outstanding and has created a fantastic environment for colleagues and customers.

"To support the addition of Vauxhall and Citroen to the site, we have recruited seven new team members and promoted two very experienced people into senior positions.

"I’m very excited about our future and look forward to welcoming more people to Bristol Street Motors Harlow.”

The group said the workshop doors have been removed and replaced with a wall-to-ceiling glass front, and interactive screens have been installed to allow customers to build a vehicle specification that suits their individual needs and budget.

Robert Forrester, chief executive of Vertu Motors PLC, said: “Bristol Street Motors is delighted with the result of this latest investment. We have made a significant commitment to Harlow over the last year.

"Refurbishing a dedicated service centre, just around the corner from the dealership, has allowed us to expand this site and bring three leading brands under one roof.

“We have created more than 30 jobs in the area as a direct result of our investment at the two sites.

"There will be further opportunities for other roles and apprenticeships in our workshop and dealership locations, and we would encourage local people to consider building their career with us.”

As part of efforts to combat the soaring cost of energy, Vertu Motors is taking its car dealerships “off grid” in the second half of 2022.