A Bentley dealership based in Exeter has been placed into receivership after running out of money as the credit crunch begins to affect retailers of high-end goods.
Bentley West Country closed its doors this week after sales of new cars completely dried up. Andrew Sheridan of joint receiver Baker Tilly said that the dealer hadn’t sold a new car for three months and that it had effectively run out of money.
He said: "In the last three months, plummeting second hand values of luxury cars, combined with a drying up of inquiries for new vehicles, has caused Bentley West Country to run out of cash."Unfortunately, it has ceased trading with the loss of all 19 jobs.”
The showroom has been stripped of its fixtures and fittings and all cars have been removed. The nearest Bentley dealer to the south west of England is now Bentley Cardiff.
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Re: Bentley dealer ‘runs out of cash’
I was particularly saddened to read of this Bentley's dealer's closure. I visited there with a friend as a Birthday treat for him back in April this year. We toured the "posh" car dealers all the way around the Marsh Barton area where Bentley Westcountry was situated. We were particularly welcomed at Ferrari, Porsche and of course Bentley. I was also saddened to read that this closure will lose 19 people their jobs. I don't know about "how the crow flies" but my nearest Bentley dealer now in the south will be Bentley Hampshire near Lyndhurst in the New Forest. Surely this is just closer than Cardiff is to Exeter?
Re: Bentley dealer ‘runs out of cash’
Much of the Mini's appeal was it's cute looks when BMW first introduced it. The revised one may have better engines but it has been tweeked here and there resulting in an ugly duckling. (All it took was the slightly bigger bum, 20mm waistline hike and dustbin lid sized speedo). I understand some of this was forced upon them by crash test requirements, but I'd have developed a more compact engine and left the body alone.
Re: Bentley dealer ‘runs out of cash’