A council decision that will force the closure of ATS Euromaster’s Altrincham branch has been described as “madness” by the fast fit network’s group estates manager. The company hopes to convince Trafford Council to either allow the outlet to co-exist alongside the new £70 million development in Oakfield Road, or otherwise invite ATS Euromaster to be a part of the project.
The First Stop network began with the opening of two service centres in the UK in 1994, and over the following two decades grew into a pan-European retail chain boasting almost 2,000 outlets in 25 countries. On its website, First Stop says this “success story continues”, however in one market the network’s presence may soon suffer a hefty setback. Our German sister magazine Neue Reifenzeitung reports that First Stop has commenced a restructuring and consolidation programme in Germany, and in a worst case scenario this could lead to the closure of up to 21 Bridgestone-owned First Stop centres in the country – out of a total of 64 – before the end of this year. This potential slashing of numbers follows the closure of five outlets in 2013. Neue Reifenzeitung notes that at present no concrete plans regarding branch closures have been announced, and it is not yet clear which 21 of the 64 outlets are threatened.
Dunlop motorsport representatives have sought to clarify that the Dubai 24h, which Hankook recently took over as tyre supplier, has been affected by the decision to closure the company’ Birmingham motorsport tyre factory.
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