A LEADING local motor firm is to close the doors of one of its 52 dealerships tomorrow.

JCT600, founded by famous rally driver Jack Tordoff, is putting the brakes on its Vauxhall showroom in Shipley, due to the car manufacturer restructuring.

The announcement that JCT600 would cease trading on November 30 was put out at the end of last week, but the business confirmed the news with the T&A this morning.

This comes just a month after the group lost its retail franchise with BMW in Bradford, but JCT600 did add the Jaguar and Land Rover brands to its dealership portfolio in July.

A spokesperson for JCT600 said: “As a result of Vauxhall restructuring its retailer network, our Vauxhall dealership in Shipley will cease trading on 30 November with all but one colleague previously based there relocating to our Bradford, Menston and Rawdon businesses."

But, no signs or notices were outside the location itself to indicate it would be closing, when the T&A visited the dealership yesterday.

The spokesperson for the company said: "Customers will be able to take advantage of our recently redeveloped Vauxhall dealership on Sticker Lane, Bradford, and our trained team of advisers and technicians will be on hand to help them. ”

A statement on the company website added: "Our Vauxhall Bradford workshop has a team of fully trained technicians complete with the very latest diagnostic equipment.

"Mavis Rhodes, our Senior Service Advisor from Shipley, will be joining our Bradford service team and is looking forward to being of assistance to you soon."

JCT600 has also reassured customers that any Shipley dealership customer warranty or outstanding offers will be honoured at this alternative location.

The closing dealership is based just off Salts Mill Road, which is set to become a corridor of vacancy following the loss and impending loss of two other organisations.

Cardinal, historically a shopfitting company, had been based on the road in Shipley since the 1980s before moving to premises in Laisterdyke in 2016.

Come 2020, Her Majesty's Revenue and Custom will also be making the move from the street, to a "hub" in Leeds.

HMRC confirmed in August staff members would move out in autumn of 2020.

But, the building's owners have submitted an application to refurbish the premises and turn it into "Grade A" office space.

MP Phillip Davies (Shipley, Cons) said the closure was disappointing, but was delighted to hear that most of the employees would remain in roles within the company.

He added: "Any loss of enterprise and business is not good and so I hope an alternative can be found for the site as quickly as possible. We need more economic activity in places like Shipley."

JCT600 have also ensured its "Motability" scheme customers would be looked after at Vauxhall Bradford.

Motability Specialist, Linda Tordoff, will be on hand to answer any questions or concerns and is available on: 01274 771600.