Business welcomes government decision to reopen car dealerships

The government’s decision to include car showrooms in its first wave of of retail reopenings on 1 June has been welcomed by dealers. Sue Robinson, director of the National Franchised Dealers Association stated: “Following our lobbying efforts where we highlighted it was vital to include dealerships in the first wave of non-essential retail reopening, it is positive that the Prime Minister has confirmed the Government intends to reopen car showrooms from 1 June.

“NFDA has worked closely with SMMT to produce guidelines for retailers in line with the Government’s recommendations. Retailers have been working hard to put all necessary measures in place to ensure social distancing can be observed.

“As lockdown measures start to ease, many of us will need cars to get back to work and it is crucial that automotive retailers are open to serve the workforce. The retail automotive sector looks forward to welcoming customers back into showrooms.”

Meanwhile, James Hind, founder and CEO of www.carwow.co.uk, added: “We are very pleased to hear that car dealers have been given a firm greenlight to reopen on 1 June.

“We’ve seen a significant increase week on week throughout May in consumers looking to buy a new car on carwow with activity on the site at levels now above what we’d have expected in a normal May; there is no doubt that demand is there. It’s unsurprising that consumers are increasingly recognising the benefits of owning their own car given the ongoing need for social distancing, and government advice to avoid public transport where possible.

“We know many dealerships have been working hard to get ready in anticipation of reopening and have taken lots of safety precautions to ensure a safe experience. And for those consumers who aren’t yet comfortable to visit the showroom, the majority of dealers are offering home delivery options as well.”