Simon Bailes Peugeot: Meet the Yorkshire car supremo who has been driving forward innovation since the 1970s

That is particularly true in the motor industry, where change is a constant presence thanks to factors like technological developments, company mergers and evolving consumer demands.

Moving with the times has certainly been a strength of Simon Bailes, who has built a multi-million pound company, won multiple awards and assisted academic research into the potential of electric and hydrogen vehicles over the course of his career.

Bailes got into the motor trade through an apprenticeship and with “a desire to break out on my own”, in 1979 he took on a used car dealership in Northallerton when he was in his late 20s.

He says he subsequently ended up with a choice between Vauxhall, Lada and Peugeot as potential franchise options and decided on the latter as the manufacturer’s popular 205 model became the car of choice for thousands of British drivers in the 1980s.

"There was a smattering of dealerships in the North East and I think I joined at the sweet spot,” Bailes reflects.

"Everything we touched turned to gold. We had very strong retail sales and the appetite to develop the fleet business and became very successful at that.

"The fleet business developed by knocking on doors.”

As the years passed, Bailes expanded by adding dealerships in Guisborough and Stockton. His company became one of the best-performing independent Peugeot dealerships in the country, with Simon and his team winning dozens of Guild of Gold Lion awards which are presented by the marque to its top performers for customer satisfaction, service levels and business performance.

He is a well-known figure in the Northallerton business community, with his company’s activities including being the long-term main sponsor of Northallerton 10k which raises funds for Pendragon Community Trust, provides a range of sensory experiences as well as therapeutic and developmental opportunities for those with complex conditions.

The company’s latest published results on Companies House show its turnover in 2023 was £67m up from £57.5m the year before thanks in large part to a £9.4m increase in fleet vehicle sales. A net profit of £1.2m was recorded compared to £2.3m the year before and the published results praised the work of staff in achieving what they had “in a competitive and tough marketplace”.

The results also highlight the potential opportunities for the company from Peugeot’s 2021 merger with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles to create the gigantic Stellantis group whose vehicle brands also include the likes of Citroen, Vauxhall, Jeep and Alfa Romeo.

Bailes says the chance to explore such opportunities is part of his continuing motivation for his job. "I really enjoy the chase of picking up a new account,” he says.

One of the biggest changes facing the motor industry at present is the ongoing switch from diesel and petrol vehicles to electric models.

It is something Bailes has been on the ball with for a considerable time – providing 22 vehicles over a four-year period between 2010 and 2014 for a research project called SwitchEV and carried out by Newcastle University.

His business provided electric vehicles to local organisations and companies like Northumberland Police, the Forestry Commission and Virgin Money over six month periods with journey details logged to help assess how EVs changed journey planning as well as battery efficiency.

Bailes says: “It was hugely successful and provided the best data in the world bar none. If you educate yourself first, you can educate the public.”

He says that acceptance of EVs is growing, albeit with some concerns about issues like a lack of public charging points and worries about battery degradation on used models.

But Bailes says service and maintenance costs are typically below that of diesel and petrol cars, while in cases of battery problems it can often be the case that individual battery cells can be replaced rather than the entire pack powering a vehicle.

He adds: “We are very positive about the use of EVs but you also can’t forget about the development and research that has gone into petrol and diesel engines. The petrol engine is the cleanest it has ever been.”

It is not just electric vehicles that Bailes has been supporting research into. His company has also been involved in a project allowing Cleveland Police to test whether hydrogen vehicles are a feasible option for their fleet.

Involving Teesside and Durham universities, the project is comparing the operational performance of hydrogen cars and battery electric vehicles across different policing scenarios in the Tees Valley.

As well as assessing the environmental impact and economic implications, it aims to understand the perceived safety concerns and people’s perception of integrating hydrogen cars into police operations.

The hope is that the research will help police forces around the country determine whether hydrogen vehicles are a more suitable option for their work than EVs, which have drawbacks such as long charging times and reduced performance in extreme weather.

But while his industry keeps evolving in all sorts of ways, Bailes says one constant throughout his business journey has been supporting the development of his staff and repaying their efforts.

"Over the years I have won industry awards but the most important thing I’m extremely proud of is the development is some of the people who work for us. I have people who started with me at 16 and built a career. That gives me a bit of a buzz.”

Nicola Dobson, managing director of Peugeot UK, says Bailes is worthy of much praise

She says: "Simon Bailes and his teams have been a driving force behind Peugeot’s success in the Northeast for decades, consistently delivering outstanding customer service and representing the brand with excellence. The multiple Guild of Gold Lion awards are a testament to the dedication and high standards upheld across his three retail sites.

"As Peugeot continues its journey towards electrification with exciting new models like the E-3008 and E-5008, retailer partners like Simon and his team play a crucial role in bringing our vision to life for customers. We’re proud to work alongside him and celebrate his remarkable career."