Didcot: MM Bellinger & Sons expands to Milton Gate site

An Oxfordshire family-run car dealership is the latest business to expand at Milton Gate in South Oxfordshire having acquired land to build a new showroom and service centre.

MM Bellinger & Sons, which was established in 1932 by Henry Francis Bellinger, sells new Vauxhall cars and all makes of used cars from two sites in Abingdon and Wantage, has bought 0.75 acres of land from MEPC to build a new Vauxhall dealership offering state of the art servicing facilities.

MM Bellinger & Sons is currently run by the fourth generation of Bellingers, with Mike Bellinger’s son in law Oliver Dimbylow taking over after Mike’s sad death in 2011. Together with Mike’s son Joe who is the sales manager, they maintain the enthusiasm and dedication, and uphold the family values, that have built the car dealership into what it is today. It currently employs 63 sales and technical staff across its two existing sites, and plans to add up to a further 10 jobs when it opens in Didcot in late 2015.

It was in the early 2000s that Mike and Brian Cripps, then retail operator and now director, were searching for a site in Didcot to complete the Abingdon and Wantage triangle for its customers. Just off the A34 at Milton Interchange, and at the gateway to Milton Park, the Milton Gate site is in a highly visible location and Brian very much believes would exceed Mike’s dreams and ambitions.

Oliver Dimbylow, retail operator, MM Bellinger & Sons explained:  “My late father-in-law and Brian spent 13 years searching for the right Didcot site to complete the triangle. Today is a momentous day for us as Milton Gate is a perfect place for Bellinger’s expansion as a great roadside location and perfect for our expansion into Didcot; just as my father-in-law had imagined. Being right next door to Milton Park, we can serve the wider community of Didcot, the surrounding villages and further afield, and people on the Park.

“We have submitted plans through The Milton Park Local Development Order which has simplified the planning process so that we can start to build as soon as possible with planned opening to take place in late 2015.”

Philip Campbell, head of leasing and development at MEPC’s Milton Park said: “Bellinger is the third business to choose Milton Gate, following the recently announced Ridgeway Volkswagen showroom and Costa drive through café, and we are delighted to welcome them.  A range of uses is permitted on the site including a hotel with conferencing facilities which is generating lots of interest due to the high profile location adjacent to the A34, a shortage of supply and the growing demand from the many people who visit the park for business from all over the world.”