The government should allow car showrooms to reopen from Monday or risk production lines standing idle and thousands of workers remaining on furlough, Vauxhall’s boss has told Sky News.
Mr Norman, Vauxhall’s boss, said that despite the prime minister’s call for companies that can operate to return to business, they would not make cars they are unable to sell.
Nobody in the modern industry builds vehicles in the hope of finding a customer, you build a vehicle for a customer, and it’s absolutely vital that the United Kingdom, the four nations, develop customer orders so we can get Ellesmere Port back into production as soon as possible.
Currently showrooms are closed under the government shutdown of “non-essential” retail.
Vauxhall believes they can be reopened safely as many dealerships are large spaces, often with outdoor areas.
There are 4,900 new car showrooms in the UK and automotive retail employs 590,000 people, the bulk of them currently furloughed.
The entire car retail sector, including after-sale servicing, generates turnover of more than £200bn.
Mr Norman said the continued showroom closure is illogical given garden centres are open, and estate agents have been allowed to resume conducting viewings in people’s homes.
“By allowing, for example, estate agents to open, which are relatively confined spaces, we have a little bit of difficulty in understanding why retail car showrooms, which are much bigger places, cannot reopen, and if necessary, we can have them open simply upon appointment,” he said.
“What we are asking is for the UK government now to allow us to reopen at the very latest from Monday, and not have to wait until the month of June.
“That really is vital for the UK motor industry, not just for Vauxhall.”
I have to agree in that it’s totally illogical. Is there another motive, maybe a green one, one set by climate change activists or the UN in agenda 21, Used to stop the masses having cars as it causes congestion and the roads need to be for key workers not the general public for ever. as covid has shown us a new better way.
It’s coming as part of this new normal, like with air industry closed down and holidays are part of that..
you’ll need 35 days for a 7 day holiday so the amount of juice won’t be worth the squeeze. or most will be priced out of the market.. while they jet about everywhere.. same with cars..
Roads are being closed to all cars in lots of cities and what about the disabled then, who cannot walk or ride a bike, you not heard one thing in 2 months from them about us.. Who cannot exercise, so could not go out and sit on a bench. you’d get a fine. I can use a hosepipe during a ban as i’m disabled. so that should not apply to us either.
It was being enforced by the police and was always only goverment advice not actual law.
The 2 metre rule is not law it’s advice.. This is where we have gone, where advice has become enforcable by the so called law enforcers.. who making it up themselves.. erroding our freedoms and rights..