A £5 million car dealership is set to open this month following a turbulent construction phase.

Lipscomb Cars, which was hoping to open its new development in March, will operate from a new Volvo showroom on the A28 in Chartham, outside Canterbury.

Boasting a bigger showroom and workshop, the new facility has been built on land next to an existing Lipscomb dealership.

The year-long construction project has seen a new junction be installed on the A28.

Difficulty with electric mains connections and the nationwide lockdown scuppered plans to open three months ago, but the dealership is now set to open in the coming weeks.

Peter Barnes, managing director at the firm, said: "The development has not been without its challenges, we had to jump through countless hoops with the city council and Kent Highways to gain planning permission in the first place slowing our progress.

"Then with those issues solved the power connection and Covid-19 coming along made me wonder if it would ever happen, but there is light at the end of the tunnel."

The opening comes as another city dealership, Northgate Garage, suddenly closed down after more than 50 years - with 21 workers losing their jobs.

Staff at the soon-to-be-closed Lipscomb base in Ashford's Chart Road are set to be relocated to the new Canterbury branch.

The Ashford dealership is due to close after 24 years in the town, following the unveiling of a plan for flats on the site.

Lipscomb also operates Volvo, Alfa Romeo, Jeep, Fiat and Abarth franchises at a 2.5-acre site in Aylesford.

Despite the challenges we have all faced over the past months I am very positive for the future of our industry.

"We will need to change our processes and focus for sure but as a family business I like to think we have the edge by daily contact with the staff and we can make things happen quickly."

Lipscomb had a turnover of £59.3 million in 2019 but the figure is expected to fall to £49.2 million this year due to Covid-19.

But forecasters predict a better 2021, with a £63.7 million turnover as the market moves back to more normality.

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