ETB Autocentres has opened the first of several new depots between now and the end of the year, after acquiring a popular garage in Taunton. The purchase of HiQ in Priory Bridge Road is a statement of intent from ETB, as it widens its footprint in the south west of England.
The depot, one of the HiQ network’s top performing sites, has already been rebranded and ETB is promising to keep up the good work undertaken by previous HiQ franchisee Gary Thomson, owner of SW Tyres.
ETB, with 26 depots across Worcestershire, Warwickshire, Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, South Wales, Somerset and Plymouth, sees huge potential in the Taunton store and will be following up the purchase with more in the near future.
ETB’s marketing manager John Tear has told Tone News:
We are thrilled to have completed this purchase and vow to offer the very best levels of service to motorists across the area. We have been in discussions for some time and this acquisition underlines our ambition to grow as a network. We will continue to offer a fantastic service to each and every motorist who arrives on the forecourt – at the most competitive prices available.
This acquisition represents part of a significant expansion plan and one of seven site openings between now and the end of the year.
The six existing Taunton technicians are unaffected by the takeover and SW Tyres’ managing director Gary Thomson was keen to thank them for their tireless work, who also told us:
I’ve got nothing but fond memories of my time in Taunton and as a resident of the town, it has been a privilege to be able to provide a successful automotive service in the local community.
Since purchasing the site in 2007, we’ve enjoyed a number of highs and have grown significantly as a business. In recent times, we have been affected by the coronavirus outbreak as so many other businesses have, but we remained resilient and were still extremely busy which is testament to the relationships built over the years and the service we have always provided.
For more information about ETB Taunton, visit https://www.etbtyres.co.uk/taunton/ or call 01823 337383.