Car dealer Luscombe acquires remainder of Robert Bowett

Owner and managing director, Robin Luscombe, initially purchased his Suzuki franchise from Robert Bowett Motoring in 2010 and Luscombe Motors was born. This latest acquisition sees Luscombe Motors acquire the remainder of Robert Bowett Motoring. Both businesses are based on the same site in Hunslet, Leeds.

Luscombe Motors’ existing Suzuki business turned over £9.5m in the year to the end of May, 2013, while Robert Bowett Motoring’s turnover for its last financial year was about £9m.

Speaking to the Yorkshire Post, Mr Luscombe confirmed that Robert Bowett had taken the decision to retire. Mr Luscombe, whose first job was as a parts department apprentice at Appleyard plc of Bradford, said: “Since acquiring Suzuki back in July 2010, we have achieved unprecedented success thanks to our USP of ‘straight talking sales staff, managers who come out of the office’ which has been welcomed by customers simply wanting a pleasurable experience when buying a car.”

Luscombe Motors’ workforce of 18 will now increase to more than 30 members of staff, Mr Luscombe said, as all staff from Robert Bowett Motoring are being taken on. When Mr Luscombe bought the Suzuki dealership in 2010, it employed 12 people.

Luscombe Motors said that many of the staff from Robert Bowett Motoring have “considerable experience”, especially with the Saab franchise. One member of the team is Paul Burgoyne who has 30 years’ Saab experience and he will form “a key part of the new business”.

He will be joining many of his old colleagues who transferred to Luscombe with the Suzuki business.

Luscombe Motors said that the acquisition “doubles the used car display and makes a massive difference to customer parking at the adjacent Suzuki business”.