HiQ Names Three More Franchisees

HiQ has attracted three new partners in its national franchise programme. HiQ now boasts more than 140 centres across Britain, having secured Alister McGill, who will take over the company’s Alnwick, Berwick and Sunderland outlets, adding to his existing Blyth and Gateshead centres. Gary Thomson will take on the Exeter, Bath, Honiton and Weston Super Mare stores with four experienced partners. Meanwhile, Phil Godfrey has added HiQ’s Banbury store to his Abingdon and Carterton businesses.

According to the company the latest announcement means HiQ’s national franchise plan is now more than half full, with all remaining partners to be announced in the coming months.

Alister McGill, aged 48, said the time had never been better to invest and expand his business, despite the current economic difficulties: “We are really bucking the trend in the motoring trade. Whereas retailers are having a tough time shifting cars as a result of a drop in spending, we are finding that an increasing number of people are keen to fix up or improve their current vehicles as a cost-cutting alternative. This also allows them to cut down on their emission as well as the cost of fuel, so it really is a great time to take on the extra HiQ centres.”

Gary Thomson, aged 40, already owns HiQ outlets in Walmley and Taunton, and is delighted to add four more outlets to his portfolio, alongside four senior partners with more than 50 years combined experience.

He said: “I have 25 years of experience in the industry, having been a mechanic for 15 years, and a regional manager for 10 years. So I am extremely confident about the future, not just for these HiQ outlets, but the fast fit sector generally.