STAFF at Chevrolet's flagship Southampton dealership are fearing for their jobs after the top-performing franchise was terminated due to "financial irregularities".
Up to 20 staff could face redundancy after the Denkale dealership in Portswood shut up shop over the weekend. Shocked staff were yesterday clearing their desks after work ceased.
The British arm of US car giant General Motors, which owns Chevrolet, claimed businesses were queuing up for a chance to get their hands on the franchise for the Southampton area.
And they pledged customers will be looked after until a successor to the Denkale dealership can be finalised.
Spokesman Dennis Chick said Southampton-based Denkale had its franchises for Southampton, Reading and Slough terminated on Friday and the brand signs taken down on Saturday.
Mr Chick attributed the terminations to "financial irregularities that we had been investigating for some time".
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He said he could comment no further on Denkale due to the legal situation.
Denkale's managers were not available for comment.
But Mr Chick said Mahinda Gill's operation at Southamp-ton was "one of the best-performing in the country - in the top ten of our 100 dealerships".
He added there were people "champing at the bit" for the franchise and he expected to have a new one in place soon.
"Chevrolet is on a high and the Southampton area is very significant to us," he said.
Denkale Southampton was the first Chevrolet dealer to open in the south.
It has been operating from its site in St Deny's Road for 15 years. It was followed by the Reading dealership which opened in March 2005 then another in Slough.
Those who have ordered a new car or were in negotiations for new or used cars should call 0800 060606.
Yes Keith, but have you thought about how many flats they could put up on the site ?
Should be a few hundred I guess, handy for the new Sainsburys around the corner.
Yes Keith, but have you thought about how many flats they could put up on the site ?
Should be a few hundred I guess, handy for the new Sainsburys around the corner.
Posted by: Family Man, thorns on 9:59am Wed 30 Apr 08
It is not a question of whether the site will be redeveloped for flats, but how many and whether it will be for students..not that I have anything against students per se.
And despite the inevitable criticism and protests from local residents, the council will simply railroad it through. There might be "sweeteners", like "a dramatic improvement in local health facilities", or not, it might even be a "landmark" development, but it will essentially be a block of flats. And there ain't nothing any of us can do about it...there are simply too many precedents (of its own making) for the council to draw a line, even if it wanted to...!!!!
Southampton, flat city of the south!
It is not a question of whether the site will be redeveloped for flats, but how many and whether it will be for students..not that I have anything against students per se.
And despite the inevitable criticism and protests from local residents, the council will simply railroad it through. There might be "sweeteners", like "a dramatic improvement in local health facilities", or not, it might even be a "landmark" development, but it will essentially be a block of flats. And there ain't nothing any of us can do about it...there are simply too many precedents (of its own making) for the council to draw a line, even if it wanted to...!!!!
Posted by: Leanne, Sholing on 3:11pm Wed 30 Apr 08
Who cares about flats and parking, I care that staff at the site who had nothing to do with the financial issues did not get paid this month and now have to look for jobs in a very difficult financial climate!!
Who cares about flats and parking, I care that staff at the site who had nothing to do with the financial issues did not get paid this month and now have to look for jobs in a very difficult financial climate!!
Posted by: Leanne, Sholing on 3:11pm Wed 30 Apr 08
Who cares about flats and parking, I care that staff at the site who had nothing to do with the financial issues did not get paid this month and now have to look for jobs in a very difficult financial climate!!
Who cares about flats and parking, I care that staff at the site who had nothing to do with the financial issues did not get paid this month and now have to look for jobs in a very difficult financial climate!!
Posted by: Irate customer, Reading on 8:42pm Thu 1 May 08
Whilst I have every sympathy for the innocent staff. What about the customers that they have taken money off of in the last few weeks and promised them delivery of vehicles on several ocassions that they knew wouldn't turn up!!! We now have to wait for Chevrolet to sort it out with the administrators, Right this minute I'd take great delight in driving a bulldoser through Denkale. They are even still running ads on the local radio station in Reading,
Whilst I have every sympathy for the innocent staff. What about the customers that they have taken money off of in the last few weeks and promised them delivery of vehicles on several ocassions that they knew wouldn't turn up!!! We now have to wait for Chevrolet to sort it out with the administrators, Right this minute I'd take great delight in driving a bulldoser through Denkale. They are even still running ads on the local radio station in Reading,
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