A long-standing National Tyres and Autocare garage on St Cross Road in Winchester permanently closed on June 5th, following a review by its owners, Halfords. This closure is part of a series for the firm, which operates over 200 sites across the UK.
The Winchester garage had served local customers for years, with staff now relocated to the Halfords Autocentre at Martins Trading Park on Easton Lane, approximately a seven-minute drive away.
A Halfords spokesperson confirmed the closure and stated: “We are committed to supporting impacted colleagues and are offering alternative roles at nearby Halfords locations where possible. We’d like to thank our customers for their support and hope to welcome them at our Halfords Autocentre garage… Customers can also access Halfords Mobile Expert – our mobile service that delivers tyre fittings, battery replacements, and other essential services directly to their doorstep.”
The future of the now-empty site was not disclosed by Halfords, but it is anticipated that developers may show interest, given a nearby former Peugeot dealership was redeveloped into residential properties.
This closure follows recent National Tyres branch shutdowns in Huddersfield, Exeter, and Croydon. The wider automotive service sector has also seen closures, including a Kwik Fit branch in Eastbourne, a historic MOT centre in Sheffield, and a double closure of a Halfords garage and an independent tyre shop in Swansea earlier this year. Business Rescue Expert suggests multiple factors for these closures, including rising online car sales, increasing operational costs like rent and energy, the lingering impact of the 2022 semiconductor chip shortage, and the industry’s shift towards electric vehicles, which require less traditional servicing. Industry analysts warn this trend may continue.
Source: The Sun