THE Agnew Group has confirmed it will close two car dealership sites in Belfast.
The retailer has informed its customers that the SEAT franchise will no longer form part of its group portfolio.
As a result its SEAT sites at Boucher Road in south Belfast, and Ladas Drive in Castlereagh, will shut on September 30.
In an email sent to customers on Tuesday afternoon, the company said: “The Agnew Group board have been in discussions with the SEAT manufacturer and have agreed a closure date for both the Ladas Drive and Boucher Road sites on 30th September 2023.
“The SEAT franchise will no longer form part of the Agnew Group portfolio as we have adapted our business model to a changing marketplace.
“As a business we continue to grow and will look at opportunities with additional franchises in the future.”
It’s understood 46 jobs are affected by the closures, but there will be no compulsory redundancies.
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Staff will be offered redeployment or the option of voluntary redundancy.
Founded in 1931, the Agnew Group was acquired by the UK’s Sytner Group in 2012. Sytner is owned by the Michigan-headquartered Penske Automotive Group, which is listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
Agnew currently operate 15 dealerships in Belfast, Newtownabbey and Portadown, employing around 1,100 people. The group also operates autoparts, leasing, repair and auction businesses at a number of sites around the north.
The separation from SEAT will reduce the group to eight car manufacturer brands.
