FIX AUTO UK SURPASS £2MILLION IN GOVERNMENT AID

Fix Auto UK has generated more than £2 million in Government grant support and business rates reliefs for numerous franchisee partners – money, it says, is vital for the survival of its independently owned businesses along with its own repair centres as the industry battles against the disruption caused by the Coronavirus pandemic.

That milestone was reached when Fix Auto Ayr received notification late last week that, on appeal, it had been successful with its application for a £25,000 retail grant.

Furthermore, the network estimates it has helped generate more than £600,000 for independent repairers outside its network after offering support and guidance to the industry. One of those notable successes being Steer Automotive Group with Chief Executive Richard Steer successfully applying for grants and rates relief for eight of his nine sites with one still pending.

Fix Auto UK’s Managing Director Ian Pugh, said: “I can’t enthuse enough on those repairers who clearly operate a retail model to apply to their local authority for grant support. We have unlocked more than £2m for our franchisees and our own repair centres in grants and retail rates relief and all because we challenged the system and refused to take no for an answer when our applications were initially refused.”

Ian added: “While we are seeing the first tentative steps of improvement in business, as an industry we clearly have a long way to go in this fight of ours and that’s before we experience the second wave we are being led to believe could come. In a business where cash is key, every penny goes towards safeguarding a business and I can’t urge those repairers who clearly operate a retail service to apply for financial support if they haven’t done so already.”

Mr Steer added: “It has been said the Coronavirus has brought our industry together and I couldn’t agree more. While we were aware of the retail grants, in truth we, like many repairers, really didn’t explore it as a possibility until Ian went public with Fix Auto’s achievements. 

“I reached out to Ian who put me in touch with Rob Pugh and he gave us guidance on the steps they had taken to successfully apply for grants and rates relief. The message is simple, if you offer a retail repair service then, if you haven’t already, contact your local authority and do not take no for an answer – it may help save your business.”

Notes to Editors:

• Fix Auto UK is part of a global franchised network of more than 745 bodyshops.
• Fix Auto UK carries out more than 150,000 body repairs per year for leading motor insurance companies, fleets, and retail customers.
• Fix Auto UK, Lyndale House, Harcourt Way, Meridian Business Park, Leicester, LE19 1WL. Tel: 0116 3265401.
• Fix Auto UK’s Portfolio of wholly owned repair centres comprises Fix Auto Daventry, Fix Auto Colwyn Bay, Fix Auto Barnsley, Fix Auto Crawley, Fix Auto Paignton. The Network also holds a majority share in Fix Auto Goole.
• To attain a copy of the letter template Fix Auto UK has drafted to help repairers apply for grant support please email covidgrantsupport@fixauto.co.uk

Please Note:
For further information please contact Mark Richards on 07774 861596.
Email: mrichards@fixauto.com