Jass Singh, the “pioneering” CMA General Manager of Bristol Street Motors Sunderland and Hexham Vauxhall, is retiring after 14 years with the company.

During his time with the dealer group, Singh has picked up a string of awards including Vauxhall Retailer of the Year, in 2019.

The dealership, based in Alexandra Avenue, Hylton Riverside, has won a Vauxhall customer excellence award eight times.

Within Vertu Motors Singh has also been named General Manager of the Year.

Colin Kent, group operations director at Bristol Street Motors, said: “Jass not only sets the benchmark for best practice in his dealership but also my division and it’s been wonderful to have a role model for the other sites to follow, which you would want in any business.

“He has also been a pioneer in terms of launching new processes in the company; we know he can be relied on to make sure his team gets behind it and makes it work.

“He always leads from the front and doesn’t ask any colleague to do what he’s not prepared to do himself, which is why I suspect his people have so much respect for him.

“Jass’ dealership is one of the best run in the whole Vauxhall network, and has been for many years, which explains why the manufacturer holds him in such high regard.”

Singh has worked in the motor trade for 39 years, starting out as a motor mechanic and rising through the ranks to become a sales executive and then a general manager. For the past 12 months he has been mentoring his successor.

"While I am looking forward to my retirement, I will miss my colleagues and the challenges and satisfaction of leading a business,” he said.

Robert Forrester, chief executive at Bristol Street Motors, added: "I have known Jass for more than 20 years and throughout his career he has epitomised the skills, attitude, acumen and enthusiasm that are needed to run a successful motor dealership.

"He truly is a role model with his outstanding abilities reflected by the many awards that he has won over the years.

"While he will be sorely missed, everyone at Vertu Motors wishes him well as he embarks on the next stage in his life."

Bristol Street Motors Peterlee was named as Hyundai's Best Overall Dealer at a cermony in February.