Thurlow Nunn has acquired Norwich's two Hartwell Vauxhall dealerships

Norfolk-based car dealership Thurlow Nunn is to become one of the largest Vauxhall retailers in the country after acquiring two sites in Norwich.

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The group, which currently boasts eight sites across East Anglia, is taking over two Hartwell outlets in Hall Road and Mile Cross Lane.

No details about the size of the deal were released but Simon Bottomley, group managing director at Thurlow Nunn, said the “major investment” in the two new sites demonstrated the company’s commitment to the Vauxhall brand.

A family-owned business, Thurlow Nunn was established more than 135 years ago and has branches in Beccles, Diss, Dereham, Fakenham, Great Yarmouth, Holt, King’s Lynn and Wisbech.

And Mr Bottomley said the company was keen to get a toehold in Norwich.

“As a long-standing company with sites across East Anglia, we pride ourselves on our understanding of the local market place and our ability to stay in tune with the wants and needs of all our customers,” he said. “When we heard about the opportunity to expand into Norwich, we didn’t hesitate.

“We consider this acquisition a natural step forward – as a prominent name in the local area it is logical for us to have outlets in East Anglia’s major city.

“We are pleased to say that existing Vauxhall customers in Norwich will find the same familiar faces, expertise and high levels of service they have come to expect from their local sites. We are therefore very excited to welcome both new and existing customers through the doors of both sites and look forward to introducing them to the Thurlow Nunn name.”

Meanwhile, senior managers at Honda UK have celebrated a 50-year partnership with family-owned car and motorcycle dealership Lings.

Honda UK managing director Dave Hodgetts this week presented David and Ann Jary with a specially-commissioned award to mark the half-century association which began in 1961.

With Honda looking to make its mark on the worldwide market the dealership they looked to was Mr Jary’s, who at the time was managing director of PKF Ling Ltd at Harleston, near Diss.

Lings, now run by Mr Jary’s son Chris, now has a group of dealerships in Lowestoft, which is Europe’s largest Honda brand centre, Ipswich and Watton.

Chris Jary said: ‘“As a family-owned and run business we are delighted to receive this one-of-a-kind award. We are immensely proud of our uniquely close working relationship with Honda UK and look forward to it enduring for many years to come.”

shaun.lowthorpe@archant.co.uk