South: Founder of Snows Motor Group, Geoff Snow, dies

Geoff Snow, founder of Snows Motor Group - and the driving spirit of a flourishing motor retailer that now employs more than 750 people and carries his surname on 35 franchises across southern England - has died.

Tributes have been paid to Snow, the founder and non-executive director of family-run Snows Motor Group, one of the top 60 motor retailers in the UK. Snow, 85, died peacefully at hospital on August 23.

He leaves behind his wife of 57 years, Joyce, son Stephen, who is group chairman, and daughters Jacqueline and Jenny, as well as nine grandchildren and a great grandson.

Recently, and poignantly, one of Geoff Snow's nine grandchildren, Katie, who works in the business, gave birth to his first great grandchild, Oscar.

Snows was originally established by Geoff 55 years ago, in 1962, as an office supplies company in Southampton before he made the transformative decision to enter the retail motor market 38 years ago.

The investment in St James’ Toyota Centre in the port city proved a shrewd move.

From Hampshire to the West Country, Snows now represents the automotive brands of Abarth, BMW, Citroën, DS, Fiat, Kia, Lexus, Lotus, MINI, Peugeot, SEAT, Suzuki, Toyota, Volkswagen Commercial and Volvo, as well as seven used-car outlets named Too Good to Auction, across Berkshire, Devon, Dorset, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Somerset, Surrey and Wiltshire.

Stephen said: “My father was a pioneer in the retail car industry here on the south coast, with an absolute belief that the customer is king, that if you get the customer service right every time then the sales will follow.

“We’ve seen generations of families buy from Snows because of what Dad did – he knew the importance of making the purchasing decision process as comfortable as possible for the buyer.

“That philosophy is at the heart of what we do at Snows – it is enshrined in our training academy, on the forecourts, and in the service bays.

“Car manufacturers soon realised that Snows was a family-run brand trusted and respected by customers of all ages and requirements.

“Whilst as a family we grieve, my father’s legacy very much lives on in the company name and the pioneering culture he instigated and oversaw with his trademark driving spirit.”