BELL & COLVILL
Author
Discussion

Jon39

Original Poster:

13,847 posts

158 months

Tuesday 15th July
quotequote all

Usually their forecourt and showroom are displaying many new Lotus cars, including a number of Eletre models.

When passing the premises recently, I don't think any new Lotus stock is displayed. On the frontages which face both roads, I could only see three (older) Lotus cars. A few months ago, those frontages were full of cars.

I just wondered why there might have been such a noticeable change?


baconsarney

12,119 posts

176 months

Tuesday 15th July
quotequote all
That’s a blast from the past Jon, IIRC they had a showroom in Purley when I worked for Caterham…

baconsarney

12,119 posts

176 months

Tuesday 15th July
quotequote all
And another in Sussex but I can’t remember where scratchchin

Jon39

Original Poster:

13,847 posts

158 months

Tuesday 15th July
quotequote all

I only know the West Horsley premises, but have just looked up their history (below).
Think they now also have premises in Guildford, for aftersales work, which includes McLaren.

'Martin Colvill began selling Lotus cars in South West London in 1966. In March 1970 he was joined by Bobby Bell to form Bell & Colvill. They sold and serviced cars from West Horsley and Caterham for over forty years, before selling the business to an enthusiast and local businessman in 2012. Bobby and Martin remained as enthusiastic non-executive directors until their deaths in 2017 and 2022.'


rallye101

2,421 posts

212 months

Tuesday 15th July
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Went to school next door, wedge esprits were my morning walk, saab then lotus too....they're still doing mclaren service in Guildford

BertBert

20,378 posts

226 months

Wednesday 16th July
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baconsarney said:
That s a blast from the past Jon, IIRC they had a showroom in Purley when I worked for Caterham
Completely off topic, but what did you do at caterham?

HTP99

24,098 posts

155 months

Wednesday 16th July
quotequote all
Must admit I have been wondering about what's going on there; empty forecourt and nothing new in the showroom.

baconsarney

12,119 posts

176 months

Wednesday 16th July
quotequote all
BertBert said:
baconsarney said:
That s a blast from the past Jon, IIRC they had a showroom in Purley when I worked for Caterham
Completely off topic, but what did you do at caterham?
It was Caterham Car Sales up on the hill, circa 1969/70.... I'd bought a rather poorly 7 and was in the process of rebuilding it so was a regular in the parts department. The sales guy didn't have a driving license and they offered me a job as general dogsbody but also taking prospective buyers out for test drives smile This was just before Caterham got the rights to build the 7 in-house.... happy days.....

Frimley111R

17,162 posts

249 months

Wednesday 16th July
quotequote all
Spoke to one of the guys there a few weeks ago. He said they were centralising operations temporarily in Guildford but there's no question of it not being B&C/them selling it.

BertBert

20,378 posts

226 months

Friday 18th July
quotequote all
baconsarney said:
It was Caterham Car Sales up on the hill, circa 1969/70.... I'd bought a rather poorly 7 and was in the process of rebuilding it so was a regular in the parts department. The sales guy didn't have a driving license and they offered me a job as general dogsbody but also taking prospective buyers out for test drives smile This was just before Caterham got the rights to build the 7 in-house.... happy days.....
Fabulous! I bought my first one from up the hill but in the 90s!