AS dozens of car showrooms across the north begun trading again yesterday, the doors stayed shut at the Donnelly Group's operation in Omagh.
It came as the family-owned dealership confirmed it was permanently closing its Dromore Road facility in a move that seems certain to have implications for the staff there.
Donnelly's acquired the Vauxhall dealership from Gormley Motors in 2016, and in line with other showrooms in the group, it was closed at the end of March, seemingly temporarily.
But yesterday a spokesman for the Donnelly Group confirmed: “Following a strategic review, we have taken the difficult decision to cease trading from our Omagh location and are currently in consultation with employees.
“The Vauxhall sales and after-sales operations will be consolidated into the Dungannon Vauxhall business and the Motorstore used vehicle businesses in both Dungannon and Enniskillen. They will continue to serve the Omagh area.”
The motor retail industry in Northern Ireland employs more than 10,000 people in sales departments alone, and most staff have been furloughed since the start of local, although some dealers continued to provide servicing.
In April and May new car sales in the north slumped, with just 24 and 144 vehicles respectively being registered, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
But as they reopened yesterday, dealerships in the north said they are banking on pent-up consumer demand leading to a possible surge in vehicle sales this month and next.
