A West Cumbrian car dealership has been taken over by Lloyd Motor Group.
Lloyd Motor Group has acquired N&M Walkingshaw Limited, based at Lillyhall.
Completed on April 30, it means 24 staff members have joined Lloyd Motor Group and the firm said further investment was likely to lead to new roles being created in West Cumbria, in line with its ambitious growth plan now underway.
Lloyd Motor Group has always had a strong presence in West Cumbria.
It was founded in 1976 with Lloyd Cockermouth BMW, which still operates there alongside Lloyd Cockermouth Mini.
A spokesman said: “The acquisition of Walkingshaw boosts the group’s offering in West Cumbria with Volkswagen and Kia and provides ongoing growth and career opportunities for the business and colleagues working there.
“Lloyd Volkswagen and Lloyd Kia will continue to operate from the existing Walkingshaw premises in Lillyhall. This further extends the group’s footprint across Cumbria, with Lloyd Kia sites already operating from Carlisle and a new Lloyd Kia South Lakes site under construction in Levens, South Cumbria.”
Andy Walkingshaw, managing director of Walkingshaw, said: “The business has been part of our family for almost 56 years, and serving our customers in West Cumbria has been a privilege.
“However, with increasing commercial complexity and the market continuing to consolidate, we felt it was the right time to allow a larger group to take the business to the next level. I have no doubt Sam and Bryan Lloyd will look after our customers and our fantastic team.”
Sam Lloyd, managing director of Lloyd Motor Group, said: “The two brands represent an exciting opportunity for us.
“Walkingshaw has been a successful, family-run business for over 50 years, so they feel like a great fit for Lloyd Motor Group in terms of ethos and geography. We’re very much looking forward to getting started, and we wish Andrew all the best in the future.”
