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Charles Hurst owner Lookers expands in Scotland

Posted on: 5th Jul 2012

Lookers PLC, the company which owns Northern Ireland’s largest motor retail group, Charles Hurst, has boosted its operations in Scotland with the acquisition of Lomond Audi Group in a multi-million-pound deal that expands its reach in four key locations.

The Charles Hurst Group, a major trading division of Lookers PLC, last month announced the acquisition of Fleet Financial, Northern Ireland’s leading contract hire and fleet management company.

With an annual turnover of more than £180 million, Lomond employs 400 staff and operates four significant Audi Centre dealerships in locations including Glasgow, Edinburgh, Stirling and Ayr, as well as the distribution of trade parts for the VW Group in Glasgow and Edinburgh.

Manchester-based Lookers already owns one of Scotland’s biggest and best-known car dealerships, Taggarts, of Motherwell and Glasgow, which it acquired in 2003.

This latest acquisition represents a return to the Audi brand in the UK for Lookers and builds on its existing relationship with Audi in south Dublin, Ireland.

Commenting on the purchase, Lookers’ Managing Director of the Motor Division, Andy Bruce, said:

"We are both delighted and honoured to be able to represent the Audi brand in such key locations in the UK. Lomond Audi is a business that we have tremendous respect for and we are looking forward to welcoming a great local team into the Lookers family.

“We have the utmost admiration for how Audi in the UK has developed the business into the fantastic success that it is today and we are thrilled to be able to be part of its UK network.

“Lomond Audi Group is a high quality business and this acquisition delivers on our commitment to delivering excellent products and services to all our customers across the UK and Ireland.”

The purchase of Lomond Audi Group strengthens Lookers’ footprint in central Scotland, complementing its Taggarts businesses, which currently represent the Land Rover, Jaguar, Volvo, Nissan, Peugeot and Hyundai brands.

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