Lipscomb Cars is set to open a new Volvo dealership in Canterbury following the lift of the Coronavirus restrictions.
The dealership had been set to open in March, but delays with a permanent mains electric power connection caused final works to cancelled by the network provider as non-essential.
With the lifting of work restrictions, a date has now been set for a permanent power connection and the dealership will be operational by the end of June, bringing a 12-month development to fruition for the privately-owned car group.
Peter Barnes, managing director of Lipscomb Cars, said: “The development has not been without its challenges, we had to jump through countless hoops with the City Council and Kent Highways to gain planning permission in the first place slowing our progress.
“Then with those issues solved the power connection and COVID-19 coming along made me wonder if it would ever happen, but there is ‘light’ at the end of the tunnel’ as they say.”
Lipscomb also operate Volvo, Alfa Romeo, Jeep, Fiat and Abarth franchises from their modern 2.5-acre facility just off J6 of the M20 at Aylesford, Maidstone including a central trade parts operation for Kent together with accident management and repairs.
Barnes addded: “We hope to announce our plans at Chartham very shortly, there are just some loose ends to tidy up and then we will be set for the next stage of our growth plans through to 2022, I see the coming months as an opportunity for the Lipscomb team to shine.
“Despite the challenges we have all faced over the past months I am very positive for the future of our industry. We will need to change our processes and focus for sure but as a family business I like to think we have the edge by daily contact with the staff and we can make things happen quickly.”