Business

Charles Hurst opens new £8m luxury Jaguar Land Rover base in Belfast

Pictured outside the new Charles Hurst Belfast showroom are (from from) newly appointed head of business Norman Fraser, head of operations Colin McNab and Christina Fickling, regional business manager for Jaguar Land Rover
Pictured outside the new Charles Hurst Belfast showroom are (from from) newly appointed head of business Norman Fraser, head of operations Colin McNab and Christina Fickling, regional business manager for Jaguar Land Rover Pictured outside the new Charles Hurst Belfast showroom are (from from) newly appointed head of business Norman Fraser, head of operations Colin McNab and Christina Fickling, regional business manager for Jaguar Land Rover

CAR retailer Charles Hurst has opened a new Jaguar Land Rover showroom as part of an £8 million investment designed to create a luxury showcase destination for the iconic car brands in Belfast.

And the dealership says the investment will add a further 20 jobs to a 100-strong team at its new location at the former Diageo headquarters on Boucher Road, which will be led by newly-appointed head of business Norman Fraser.

The 40,000 sq ft showroom, which features metallic cladding and frameless glazing to the exterior, is specifically designed to feature the two premium car brands in dual stores that simply connect at a glass-fronted entryway.

The striking design elements are key components in the brands’ global corporate identity programme currently being rolled out globally by Jaguar Land Rover.

The new futuristic space showcases more cars in a space built from high-end materials and includes lounge-style waiting areas, an interactive ‘kids’ zone’, complimentary wi-fi and a barista bar.

Dedicated handover bays have been created at the showroom, which also benefits from more customer parking, while a new ‘paint and trim’ area provides customers with a dedicated space to browse and choose colour options to suit their style.

A new high-tech drive-in service centre has also been included.

The company is already pioneering a new way of buying cars across its global network, using virtual reality so that customers won’t need to wait for newly-launched vehicles to arrive in their local showroom.

Charles Hurst Group operations director Colin McNab said: “The new showroom is a first for Northern Ireland and will provide our customers with a first-rate premium sales and after-care experience that not only reflects the ground-breaking design, passion and inspiration of Jaguar Land Rover, but which pushes boundaries and challenges perceptions.

“The £8 million investment reflects the huge strength of our commitment to these world class, innovative brands and our pledge to provide the very best for our customers and staff.”

Part of the Lookers Group, Charles Hurst is the north’s largest motor retailer, representing 20 brands across seven sites including its 20-acre Belfast headquarters, the largest automotive park in Europe.