AN caravan dealership site has been bought from administration, with the new owner looking to return it to its heyday when it employed 100 people.
Family run Kimberley Caravans & Motorhomes said yesterday that it had bought the former Barrons site at Burtree Gate in Darlington.
The site, for which it is paying an undisclosed amount, will reopen next month having closed after its then owner Discover Leisure went into administration in October.
It is the first expansion to a second site for managing director Chris Lowe and his father Michael, who founded the Nottinghamshire based firm in the 1970s.
The family-run business currently has an outlet just off the M1, with an annual turnover of £5m.
Having exchanged contracts just before Christmas the deal for the site is expected to be completed next week, with Chris Lowe taking over its day-to-day running, while his father will run the family's existing facility in the Midlands.
Chris Lowe said the firm had been looking to expand for some time, but it was the historic reputation of the Darlington site which sealed the deal.
"We were aware of its history. Before it was Discover Leisure it was Barrons and when it was Barrons it had a brilliant reputation and it was very busy."
"We know that the branch has many loyal customers, going back to when it was part of Barons, who will appreciate the care and attention of a family-run business."
When Discover ran into difficulties it employed around 60 of its 250 workers at the site, but Mr Lowe was confident they could eventually surpass that figure.
He said: "It has been difficult to know how many to start with. When we open in February we will be employing 25 people, but as the business becomes established again we hope to build that number up quite quickly.
Discover blamed a decline in demand for leisure vehicles for its woes but Mr Lowe said he didn't recognise that as a problem.
"Our experience is that the industry as a whole is very strong and I think the North-East is a very strong area for caravans and motor homes," he said.
"The economy is tough at the moment but from our experience, both through our existing site and our attendance at national exhibitions, we know caravanning is booming."
Well we can wait and see how it goes I have never been impressed with Kimberley caravans and the attitude of many of their staff myself but some people are happy with their service so they may well do a good job there.
Good to hear jobs will be created but I am also not of fan Kimberley Caravans, their customer service sucks big time and after sales is just the worst. Bad attitude from certain staff members as well as its all about the money with them.
Hope that the northern branch turns out better than my local one.
------------- Things are only impossible until they're not!
I've been dealing with Kimberley since I started in this game and like them a lot. I'll grant you, Mike the old man is sometimes hard to swallow but when you know him, you realise it's just his very dry sense of humour! LOL
Why do I think this?, you don't build a business from a bit of free space at the back of a car sales pitch, to what it is now, and about to become, from being no good at it!
I bought a new van from Kimberley in 1996,after having some issues which were only resolved by Avondale, said I would never buy from them again, due to the personallity of Michael, but as said it is him.
I then went to the NEC in 2009 and ended up buying from them my present van, and must say the staff have been brilliant, especially Linda and Richard in the service dept, the staff in the shop are also very friendly so the few negative comments here hopefully will not put you off from dealing with them.
I wish them all the best in this difficult time, well done Kimbo
hope they are better than discover, customer service from them was appalling, even when your wheels fall off your van after leaving their premises and AA man says they were not torqued, discover ' you have hit a pot hole on the A1m, not our fault'
PLEASE GET A NEW SET OF MECHANICS FOR YOUR NEW PREMISES,
Unfortunately Discover went into admin before we could get them to court
Amazing family weekend with old steam engines, classic car displays, market stalls, and full catering and bar. And camping on site - Save £25 by booking in advance.
Topic: Kimberley Caravans buys Darlo` Barrons
