Starting as a small Kent-based 20-car pitch in 1986, Big Motoring World has undergone a vast expansion in recent years.

The group moved its national vehicle preparation centre to the city of Peterborough in 2019 following a £14m investment at a former 10-acre furniture storage facility, but hadn’t operated car dealerships in the area before today.

With the addition of the two new Peterborough-based dealerships, the acquisition will increase Big Motoring World’s footprint to five used car supermarkets nationally.

A new local aftersales department will also launch to support the operation and all vehicle inventory will be prepared in the city at their
local preparation centre on the Morley Way Industrial Estate.

Temporarily, both acquired branches will remain closed while refurbishment works are carried out. The former SW Car Superstore branch on John Wesley Road is expected to open in November 2021.

Further renovations, totalling £4m, will be carried out at the Padholme Road East branch, with the site expected to reopen in early 2022.

Peter Waddell, Big Motoring World Chief Executive, said: “We’re delighted to be investing further in the local area. Our existing Peterborough-based preparation centre employs 240 exceptional staff members that can process up to 250 cars a day, however all of these cars were previously being retailed in and around London before today.

“Our customers love our straight-forward and honest approach to vehicle retailing and the value proposition we offer. Our vehicles are priced to sell and we focus heavily on the customer experience, eliminating the pain points seen at most dealerships."

SW Car Supermarket CEO and Peterborough resident Anton Khan will be joining Big Motoring World’s executive leadership team as an investor and Chief Operating Officer. Mr Khan is also lined up to take on the group’s CEO role in the future, when Mr Waddell moves into a Chairman role, after more than 35 years in the industry.

The acquisition will take Big Motoring World’s workforce to 650 employees. Last year, the group had a turnover of £305m, despite the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.