THE new owner of well-established North Yorkshire dealership Darren Allick Cars has announced plans to increase stock, create jobs and drive up turnover to £10m over the next two years.
Businessman and car enthusiast Simon Hannah – who started out in the motor industry more than 30 years ago – recently acquired the Stokesley-based business and quickly hopes to build on its solid foundations by generating more sales and dealing in a wider range of luxury, prestige and 4×4 vehicles.
He has already added to the workforce by employing new sales staff, a driver and a valeter, and hopes to create more roles in the future as he looks to at least double turnover by expanding the businesses both in the region and online.
“Darren Allick Cars has gained an outstanding reputation over the past 15 years for dealing in high-spec, good quality pre-owned cars and we want to build on that in order to grow turnover and profitability,” said Simon.
“I bought Darren Allick Cars knowing it hadn’t reached its full potential. It has solid foundations on which we want to grow and really develop the business to the next level, dealing in a wider range of vehicles and improving our presence both in Stokesley and on the internet.”
The business operates from its site on Ellerbeck Court, within the Stokesley Business Park – not far from where Simon owned his own vehicle repair body and paint centre in the early 1990s – and sells to customers nationwide by listing all its vehicles online.
Simon, who has personally owned at least 100 cars over the years, said: “This is a real passion of mine and over the last 30 years I have gained a wealth of experience in the industry. One area we have looked to improve on is bringing Darren Allick Cars into the modern digital age.
“Given that a large proportion of our customers come from the internet, we are investing heavily in improving the business presence online. We want to raise the profile of the Darren Allick Cars brand, launch a new website and generate a social media following.”
Simon has teamed up with award-winning digital marketing firm Espresso Web, based in Middlesbrough, to develop the brand and build a new website.
Stephen Robinson, Espresso Web founder, said: “We’re delighted to be working alongside Simon and his team on this new project, it’s always great to work with local businesses, especially ones that have been around as long as Darren Allick Cars.
“We’ve had really productive meetings with Simon and have some exciting plans in place to help his company grow and build a great relationship together.”
ENDS