Dixons ditch Honda and Fiat/Alfa???

[telecat]

Or is it a case of Honda and Fiat/Alfa ditching them in Leeds??????

[markmullen]

John Haines (ex Inchcape) recently bought a controlling interest in Dixons from RBS (the rumour has it they found us too different to banking and couldn't get their heads around the motor trade) and one of the first things he's done is to rationalise the franchises we hold, binning Fiat/Alfa and VW amongst others.

He's also closing down the Dixon Distribution Centre at Thorne near Doncaster (the big compound you could see from the M18) and vehicles will now be PDI'd at branch. Clicky Linky

[telecat]

So when did the Dixon family bail out or was this a consequence of the Carnell buyout?? I'll have to have a word with the Guy who used to own the Fiat dealers in Horsforth before He got bought out.

[StuB]

AFAIK Simon & Paul left shortly after the bank took over. I also believe the Thorne site is not closing down, but is being reduced in scale.

[markmullen]

StuB said:

AFAIK Simon & Paul left shortly after the bank took over.

, IIRC about Spring 2004.

StuB said:

I also believe the Thorne site is not closing down, but is being reduced in scale.

We are under the impression it is being closed down completely, the latest rumours are that it has been sold.

[poorcardealer]

VW ditched them I heard.........Franchise agreements allow the manufacturer to decide if they want the new owner to represent their brand, and they didnt........RBS have apparantly blown circa £10M in the time they have owned Dixons........the reason they got involved in the first place, is they were so far in (financially) that it was bust it or try and make it profitable.........the new owners bought it for £1, but have taken over a overdraft of approaching £9M.

[StuB]

There's an ad on the front page of the Yorkshire Post Recruitment section today for sales positions at Dixons!