Tributes paid to Kwik Fit founder Sir Tom Farmer

Scottish entrepreneur Sir Tom Farmer, who founded tyre workshop chain Kwik Fit and sold it for £1 billion in 1999, died at home on Friday, aged 84.

Farmer was knighted in 1997 for his services to the automotive industry.

He first opened a tyre workshop in 1964, which he sold five years later. Then in 1971 he started Kwik Fit with its first branch in Edinburgh, offering while-you-wait services, and which expanded to become the world's largest fast-fit chain with more than 2,000 locations across Europe, including more than 600 in the UK.

He sold Kwik Fit to Ford in 1999 for £1 billion.

Four years later he founded a new fast-fit brand in Scotland, Farmer Autocare, with some owned sites plus some franchised. A great believer in giving something back to the industry and helping similarly minded entrepreneurs, Farmer designed the business to offer an opportunity to young people wanting to run their own workshop.

The multi-millionnaire used his wealth to support a variety of causes, and was the first Scotsman to be awarded the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Philanthopy. He also became a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO) in 2009 for his charitable work.

A statement from his family said: "Sir Tom's long and extensive career touched many aspects of Scottish and UK life.

"His business career is well documented, as was his commitment to philanthropy, his many public roles and his unwavering support and appreciation for the communities and people that he lived his life within."

The statement added that his Roman Catholic faith was with him throughout all areas of his life. In 1997, he  received the Star of the Order of St. Gregory the Great, an honour bestowed by the Pope.

His family added: "Sir Tom will be remembered by many for his deep commitment to his family, his work and his faith and for being at all times a proud Scotsman," they added.

In his career, Farmer experienced all aspects of fast-fit operations. His first job at the age of 15 was as a stores boy with a tyre company. In 1964 he started his first business, Tyre and Accessory Supplies, in Edinburgh. Within four years he had a small chain of outlets, which he then sold to Albany Tyres Services.

A brief attempt at early retirement in San Francisco provided the inspiration for the launch of what was to become Kwik-Fit when he returned to Scotland in 1971. As the business grew, Farmer ensured that he and his managers remained in touch with daily operations and their customers by a company rule that all staff were to spend one week a year fitting tyres and exhausts in a depot.

On one occasion, Farmer took a call from a branch in Dunfermline asking for cover for a sick member of staff. In an interesting display of leadership, he volunteered himself.