Portsmouth: Hendy Group acquires car and van operation

Hendy Group is set to expand its used vehicle operation with the opening of a new Hendy Car and Van Store in Portsmouth.

The South Coast automotive company is set to buy Unbeatablecar Portsmouth in the city for an undisclosed sum.

As part of the acquisition the new site will be totally rebranded, refurbished and restocked and it will open for business as Hendy Car and Van Store on July 1.

All staff from Unbeatablecar Portsmouth will be retained as part of the acquisition and Hendy Group chief executive Paul Hendy said he was delighted to be opening such a large operation in Portsmouth where Hendy already operates successful Ford, Honda, Kia and commercial vehicle operations.

“The new site will enable us to offer up to 500 used cars and vans in one easy to access location in Anchorage Road and we look forward to providing buyers with the high quality they have come to expect from the Hendy Group,” said Hendy.

“Our award-winning Car and Van Store concept is based on offering the best choice of vehicles at the most competitive prices without compromising on the customer experience,” he added.

In addition to the used cars and vans the site will also offer full car and van servicing facilities with a 20-bay workshop, bodyshop and Smart Repair.

Hendy said that once the deal is complete at the end of June the site will close temporarily to allow for restocking of vehicles and refurbishment. The Hendy Academy, recently awarded IMI accreditation, will also relocate to the Anchorage Road site.

“This acquisition provides a tremendous addition to the Hendy portfolio. It will be our largest used vehicle operation to date and is part of our ongoing expansion plans in the south.”

The group currently has 12 motor franchises in 25 locations and employs more than 1,000 people in Hampshire, Sussex, Surrey, Kent and Devon. The group already has a successful Car and Van Store in Exeter and is due to open one in Ferndown, Dorset.

Last year Hendy, which was recently named Employer of the Year in the 2018 Solent 250 Awards, sold more than 38,900 vehicles and it serviced and repaired more than 235,000.

Mark Sopp, director of Unbeatablecar said the sale was a positive and strategic move for the company as it looks to further develop its online business.

“Portsmouth is a great facility and we are thrilled that Hendy is to buy this operation. This in turn gives us the opportunity to focus on the ongoing expansion of our online operations and Crawley hub,’’ said Mark. “Our online business continues to grow and our future is very much in providing good value quality cars and operating from one central location.”