A family-owned car dealership in Somerset is celebrating its 50th anniversary and its position as the oldest motor dealer in town.
Plowman Motors was started in Yeovil in 1966 by Geoffrey Plowman, and his sons Steven and Richard are now running the business. The dealership is now selling cars across a wider area thanks to the internet and last year exported a vehicle to Ireland.
Whether you have a long-established family brand, or you are just starting up in the motor trade, it’s important to check that you have the correct insurance to cover your needs. As your business grows, the needs of your motor trade insurance and road risks insurance policies can change, and it’s wise to keep up to date with the different level of coverage you may require.
Plowman Motors says the secret of its longevity and ability to retain customers is due to paying the same attention to customers who only have a few hundred pounds to spend on a used car as those who have a budget of thousands.
Steven Plowman told the Western Gazette: “We have many returning customers, some who have bought six or seven vehicles with us over the years.
“We sell what you call 'bread and butter' cars, nothing exotic. It's obviously working; we wouldn't have been here for 50 years if we were doing anything wrong.”
It’s likely that the current generation will be the last of the family at the helm of the business. Steven’s son is in the Navy, and his daughter is a teacher. Richard also has two daughters who are unlikely to come into the family firm.
Steven, who started working at the dealership with his father when he was 18, said: “I am more than happy to carry on at the moment, but when we do decide to pack it in, we wouldn't want it carried on under the same name.”
