S G PETCH KIA

With over 18 yrs experience in the motor industry, new General Manager John Sedgwick has worked with some of the biggest car manufacturers and is relishing the opportunity of working with a winning team. John said: "The 5 franchises at Darlington are widely recognised as being brands on the rise. With a new Fiat showroom, Kia & Hyundai being awarded Automotive Manufacturers Of The Year and prestige brands like Mazda & Peugeot, I’m delighted to be joining a well-established company and look forward to bringing even more success in the future."

The business first commenced in 1977 when Steve Petch and his then wife Sheila leased Milford Garage at South Church, Bishop Auckland, running a petrol station and a used car site, later acquiring the freehold from the oil company; Steve had previously had experience of selling cars for Munkley Preston Garages (MPG) in Teesside. In 1982 Steve purchased the Freehold premises known as Mill Garage at Station Road, West Auckland, and obtained the Daihatsu new car Franchise for the site; the dealership had great success selling 4x4 vehicles such as the Fourtrak and the small Charade hatchback, gaining National Dealer of the Year status on several occasions. 1983 saw the purchase of the Victoria Road site close to Darlington town centre which sold Yugo cars for a short period of time, followed by Daihatsu and Hyundai (1989). South Church acquired the Mazda franchise in 1988 and this proved very successful culminating in the move to our current flagship head office on Mcmullen Road Darlington in 1995; this dealership was one of the first true multi-franchise dealerships in the UK at the time with Mazda, Hyundai, Daihatsu and Kia all operating from the same building. 1990 saw the incorporation of the business by transfer from the partnership. An Isuzu and Subaru dealership was established in Richmond, North Yorks. in 1990 which operates in conjunction with a filling Station (currently selling Total fuel). General manager Les Rudd (also a Company Director) has built up a loyal band of 4x4 customers in the intervening years. A Seat dealership (and later MG Rover) was set up at Langley Moor, Durham City in March 1998 followed by a Mazda Dealership in Dragon Lane and Hyundai Dealership in Framwellgate Moor, both also in the city. May 2004 saw the building of a new green field dealership at Tindale Crescent, Bishop Auckland with the business from the two other sites (now being sold for housing) in the town being transferred here.