News: Mitsubishi on top at Mushroom Garage

A famous Rotherham landmark has got a new car - a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X.

The rally car has been chosen to continue a long-running tradition at Mushroom Garage where a vehicle sits proudly on the roof of the showroom.

The car, minus its two-litre turbocharged engine, was lifted into place by a crane in a delicate operation, and the vehicle – resplendent in rally colours – will remain in situ for the foreseeable future, having replaced a Honda that had been there since 2006.


At the start of the year, operators, Gilder Group, expanded the garage by adding a Mitsubishi dealership. The family-run group was first formed in Sheffield by William Gilder in 1938.

Employing more than 70 people across the company, there are two other dealerships in Chesterfield and Sheffield and 18 people employed at the site in Rotherham.

Bradford-based JCT600 acquired Gilder Group, including its Volkswagen dealership in Wickersley, Rotherham, in 2013, but outgoing CEO Garry Scotting retained the Gilder Honda sites, including the dealership at Mushroom Garage in Rotherham.

Peter Williams, director of the Gilder Group, said: "The Mushroom Garage is a landmark building in the area and it's always been synonymous with having a car on the roof. We are exceptionally enthusiastic about bringing Mitsubishi back to the Mushroom Garage. The Evo is a striking car and having it on our roof will help raise awareness of Mitsubishi's return to Rotherham."

John Mason, dealer development manager for Mitsubishi Motors UK, added: "We are delighted to be coming back to the Mushroom Garage with the Gilder Group after a few years away, and we are looking forward to a long and mutually successful partnership. The Mushroom Garage is an iconic building and the Lancer Evo has been an iconic vehicle for Mitsubishi, so the two together really are the perfect match.

"This is a truly exciting time for the Mitsubishi brand, with latest figures showing passenger car sales for the calendar year to June 2015 up by 117% compared with the same period last year, against an overall market increase of seven per cent."

Gilder Group website

Images: Mistubishi Motors

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News: Gilder Group add Mitsubishi to Rotherham garage

Gilder Group has expanded its iconic Rotherham garage by adding a Mitsubishi dealership to its operation.

Based at the landmark Mushroom Garage on Doncaster Road, the new dealership is part of the Gilder Group, a family-run dealership group that was first formed in Sheffield by William Gilder in 1938.

Employing more than 70 people across the company, there are two other dealerships in Chesterfield and Sheffield and 18 people employed at the site in Rotherham. A Mitsubishi dealership is also opening at its existing site in Chesterfield in February.

Bradford-based JCT600 acquired Gilder Group, including its Volkswagen dealership in Wickersley, Rotherham, in 2013, but outgoing CEO Garry Scotting retained the Gilder Honda sites, including the dealership at Mushroom Garage in Rotherham.

Darren Stolz, sales manager at Gilder Mitsubishi Rotherham (pictured, left), said: "Gilder Group has been going for more than 70 years now and we are confident that our excellent reputation, together with Mitsubishi's fantastic range of vehicles, will make this a successful partnership. This is a very exciting time for everyone at Gilder and we are really looking forward to opening with Mitsubishi."

Lance Bradley, managing director of Mitsubishi Motors in the UK, added: "We are really pleased Gilder has joined the Mitsubishi family and we wish them every success. The Rotherham dealership is based in a local landmark and the team are well known in the area for delivering great customer service, which is something that is vitally important to everyone here at Mitsubishi."

With 18 new Mitsubishi dealerships opening in 2014, the company saw sales growth in passenger cars of 75% compared with the previous year, against an overall market up by 9.3% according to year-end sales results released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

Gilder Group website

Images: Mitsubishi Motors

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News: JCT600 acquires Rotherham Gilder dealership

Bradford-based JCT600 has acquired Sheffield-based Gilder Group including its Volkswagen dealership in Wickersley, Rotherham.

The deal, for an undisclosed eight-figure sum, includes nine of its car and commercial vehicle dealerships, two parts depots and a body shop but outgoing CEO Garry Scotting will retain the Gilder Honda sites, including the dealership at Mushroom Garage in Rotherham.

Acquiring the £200m business takes JCT600 to a total of 50 dealerships. It also increases JCT600's workforce from 1,350 to over 1,800 with all jobs being retained. The deal will boost JCT600's annual turnover to over £850m.

John Tordoff, chief executive of JCT600, said: "This acquisition is another leap forward for us as a group, strengthening our coverage geographically and adding some more strong dealerships to the group. We are growing our workforce by a third, adding over 30 per cent to our revenues and taking on nine new dealerships, making this the biggest deal JCT600 has ever done.

"In 2009 we acquired York and Hull Audi from Gilder Group and so we know from that experience that we are buying a business with fantastic staff, loyal customers and high standards of care. Garry has built a solid, profitable business since he took control of The Gilder Group in 2002, and one that will dovetail perfectly with our existing operations and give us further economies of scale and increased buying power."

Garry Scotting, CEO of The Gilder Group, added: "The group will continue to have a presence in Sheffield as we have chosen to retain our three Gilder Honda sites. And, even though I am retiring from the business, I will retain shares in the group and support the Gilder Honda team to grow.

"The acquisition marks an end of an era for me, one of which I am extremely proud. My first interaction with Volkswagen and Audi came in 1980 at Gordon Lamb. After joining Gilders in 1985, I was able to further pursue my career with the brands and when I was given the opportunity of taking control of the group 11 years ago it was a business opportunity not to be missed."

The Gilder name dates back to 1912 but the Gilder Group Ltd was established as the new company name when Garry Scotting acquired the company from Peter Gilder in 2002. In 2011, the Gilder Group acquired Peter Brooks Honda for an undisclosed sum, taking the garage at Dalton. The group has been operating a Volkswagen dealership in Wickersley, Rotherham since 1999.

A team from Yorkshire law firm Gordons led by head of corporate James Fawcett advised JCT600. James Sparling of Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking and Peter Helliwell of HSBC worked closely with JCT600 to provide a funding package to support the acquisition and to refinance the new enlarged group in readiness for future expansion.

JCT600 website
Gilder Group website

Images: gildergroup.co.uk

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News: Gilder Group acquires Mushroom Garage

The Gilder Group has acquired Peter Brooks Honda for an undisclosed sum.

The Sheffield-based company, which owns 11 Volkswagen, Audi, SEAT and Volkswagen Commercial sites, takes ownership of Peter Brooks' two Honda retail sites on Chesterfield Road, Sheffield, and Doncaster Road, Rotherham.

Garry Scotting, chief executive at the Gilder Group said: "In our second acquisition of 2011, we have added a new franchise and a popular brand to our existing retail portfolio.

"As we continue our planned growth strategy, this latest acquisition will see our current turnover grow to around £200m and we'll welcome 58 new members of staff to bring us to just under 600 employees.

"We plan to invest and develop the two sites over the next few years to enhance the service offered to customers and facilitate a seamless transition into The Gilder Group portfolio."

The Gilder name dates back to 1912 but the Gilder Group Ltd was established as the new company name when Garry Scotting acquired the company from Peter Gilder in 2002.

The group has been operating a Volkswagen dealership in Wickersley, Rotherham since 1999.

Gilder Group website

Images: peterbrooks-honda.co.uk

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