Lost Car Dealerships
Posted: Sat Nov 19, 2011 10:36 pm
I was thinking that the rise of the multi franchise, multi site, remotely owned car dealers has seen many small local dealers/garages disappear over the years.
Glasgow & Lanarkshire now seem dominated by Arnold Clarks, Parks and to a lesser extent Taggarts (actually owned by Lookers/Charles Hurst in England).
There used to be many local dealers/garages and on thinking about it these are the ones I can remember:
Jesners - Used to be at the Mulberry Hill end of Tantallon Road, Shawlands. Specialised in mobile shops. The garage is now long demolished.
Low's - Off Tantallon Road, they were shoe horned on a small triangular site beside I think the Black Cart river. Renault dealers in the years when anyone selling non British makes was unusual, before closure they dealt in Vauxhall. The showroom part of the garage was tiny and only held two cars.
Whitecraigs Motors - At the other end of Tantallon Road at Queen's Park. Originally dealt in BMC cars but before closure sold Suzuki's. Garage was demolished and replaced with flats.
Wylie's - On Pollockshaws road near Eglington Toll. Also had workshops behind that. At one time Glasgow's biggest Ford dealers with an enormous show room. Site now mainly flats with part yet to be built on.
Armour Motors - In Giffnock. At the time a custom built showroom. Dealt in Ford. The site is now a Mercedes-Benz dealer and has been completely rebuilt.
Merylee Motors - Further down Merrylee Road near where the Tinto Hotel once was. I remember the garage on that site as having been there sine the 30's and quite unique in design but can't remember what they sold. It was subequently demolished and rebuilt to the VW dealer on the site now.
Anderson's - A Newton Mearns legend the Anderson garage had been on that site since between the wars. Latterly a Rootes and then Crysler dealer, the site was demolished and cleared to skew the Barrhead Road for the construction of the Mearns X shopping centre.
Carlaw's - Same family as the Tory MSP, they had a large garage on Cook Street. I'm sure it actually had car elevators in it. I can't remember what they sold but I'm sure the building was eventually demolished.
Anybody got any others they can contribute or correct the above?
Glasgow & Lanarkshire now seem dominated by Arnold Clarks, Parks and to a lesser extent Taggarts (actually owned by Lookers/Charles Hurst in England).
There used to be many local dealers/garages and on thinking about it these are the ones I can remember:
Jesners - Used to be at the Mulberry Hill end of Tantallon Road, Shawlands. Specialised in mobile shops. The garage is now long demolished.
Low's - Off Tantallon Road, they were shoe horned on a small triangular site beside I think the Black Cart river. Renault dealers in the years when anyone selling non British makes was unusual, before closure they dealt in Vauxhall. The showroom part of the garage was tiny and only held two cars.
Whitecraigs Motors - At the other end of Tantallon Road at Queen's Park. Originally dealt in BMC cars but before closure sold Suzuki's. Garage was demolished and replaced with flats.
Wylie's - On Pollockshaws road near Eglington Toll. Also had workshops behind that. At one time Glasgow's biggest Ford dealers with an enormous show room. Site now mainly flats with part yet to be built on.
Armour Motors - In Giffnock. At the time a custom built showroom. Dealt in Ford. The site is now a Mercedes-Benz dealer and has been completely rebuilt.
Merylee Motors - Further down Merrylee Road near where the Tinto Hotel once was. I remember the garage on that site as having been there sine the 30's and quite unique in design but can't remember what they sold. It was subequently demolished and rebuilt to the VW dealer on the site now.
Anderson's - A Newton Mearns legend the Anderson garage had been on that site since between the wars. Latterly a Rootes and then Crysler dealer, the site was demolished and cleared to skew the Barrhead Road for the construction of the Mearns X shopping centre.
Carlaw's - Same family as the Tory MSP, they had a large garage on Cook Street. I'm sure it actually had car elevators in it. I can't remember what they sold but I'm sure the building was eventually demolished.
Anybody got any others they can contribute or correct the above?