A £3 million classic vehicle centre housed in the former Rolls-Royce Heritage Centre in Derby will open its doors this month.
Great Northern Classics (GNC) – which has been dubbed a ‘Bicester Heritage’ site for the Midlands and similar in concept to BBC TV’s Repair Shop – will be a hub for displaying and preserving classic vehicles.
Crucially, GNC will include a dedicated training school for apprentices to learn and develop skills to support the heritage and classic vehicle industry. The first intake of students is planned for 2024, with the academy growing to 12 apprentices annually.
In the meantime, the first phase is a climate-controlled storage facility designed specifically for classic cars, with optional vehicle concierge services available. These include valeting, maintenance and delivery to classic car events or track days.
The next phase will bring together 32 small to medium specialist car repair companies to create a one-stop-shop for classic car owners.
GNC says it expects all tenants to support its apprenticeship programme to some extent but it has created a charity academy to cut costs and administration while providing ‘work ready’ trainees. It will employ the majority of apprentices directly.
Shaun Matthews, one of GNC’s founders, told the BBC: “Many specialists are in their 60s and 70s and this has implications for the future of heritage vehicles.
“I’m a time-served engineer and have benefited from a hands-on, broad-based apprenticeship however the heritage engineering and mechanical skills are dying off.
“The industry and collectors depend on them, which is why we felt compelled to do something about it.”
Speaking to Derbyshire Live, GNC’s Abigail Whitt added: “Our aim here is to create a hub for not only the vehicle enthusiast but also the wider public.
”We have lots to offer at the newly restored ironworks building which was once a Rolls-Royce site. We will house a fully equipped training school, workshops for around 30 specialists, a car storage area, an exhibition and entertainment space and a cafe.“
Great Northern Classics will open its doors with a preview event on Saturday 23 September.
Source: Derbyshire Live