5 days ago
Halfords appoints new boss as ‘very challenging’ retail market unlikely to ease
Halfords has appointed a new chief executive as it reported rising revenues amid a ‘very challenging’ trading environment and rising costs from the October budget.
Henry Birch, former boss of retailer Very Group, takes the post immediately to replace Graham Stapleton, Halfords’ boss of seven years.
The group said like-for-like sales rose 2.3% in the year to March 28 compared with the previous year, while profit will be at the higher end of previous guidance of £32m to £37m.
Inflation set to ease further after dip in petrol prices
UK inflation is expected to have slowed down further last month before higher bills hit households in April.
The Office for National Statistics will publish the latest inflation data on Wednesday.
A consensus of economists has predicted that Consumer Prices Index (CPI) inflation will come in at 2.7% for March.
Sir Elton John’s Aston Martin DB7 sells at auction for £40,250
An Aston Martin DB7 formerly owned by the singer Sir Elton John has just sold at auction for £40,250.
The car soared past its original estimated price of between £23,000 and £27,000 that had been set by auction house H&H Classics.
The car in question is a 1995 example with just 14,500 miles on the clock and is finished off in British Racing Green with a light tan leather interior. A copy of the original V5 logbook along with the original warranty card in Sir Elton’s name are all included in the history file to back up its famous roots.
London’s FTSE 100 surges as hopes rise over US-UK trade deal
London’s FTSE 100 has climbed higher as the index continues its recovery and hopes grow over a trade deal between the US and the UK.
The UK’s top index has had a run of gains after suffering sharp losses in the days following Donald Trump’s tariffs announcement, where it plummeted to its lowest level in a year. It gained 114.78 points on Tuesday, or 1.41%, to close at 8,249.12.
uropean stocks were also rebounding as a more optimistic mood washed over global markets. In Frankfurt, the Dax rose 1.43%, and in Paris, the Cac 40 closed 0.86% higher.
Tuesday on Car Dealer
Polestar enjoys 185% sales boom as it targets more models and dealerships
Polestar’s UK sales surged 185% in Q1 2025, hitting 3,695 units and making it the UK’s fastest-growing European car brand. With expanding retail presence and new models like the Polestar 5 GT and upcoming Polestar 7 SUV, the brand is shifting toward a traditional dealership model.
From going bust to making it big after heart failure: The remarkable journey of Sheik Hassan
Sheik Hassan went from losing everything in 1998 to building a thriving car dealership, Motor 4 U, in East Sussex. Starting from a single room, a chance car sale sparked a new journey. Today, his family-run business operates a 200-car site and continues to grow and he joined us on the Car Dealer Podcast to discuss his journey.
Arnold Clark begins Corvette handovers as franchise partnership gets underway
Arnold Clark has begun handing over its first right-hand-drive Corvette supercars after launching the franchise in Glasgow and Altrincham. Customer Derek Provan was among the first to collect a C8 Stingray. The Corvette E-Ray is set to arrive at dealerships this summer.
Car dealers raise £38,000 for charity via special sale at Shoreham Vehicle Auctions
Shoreham Vehicle Auctions has raised £38,000 for Chestnut Tree House Children’s Hospice in its 15th annual charity sale. Twenty-seven south coast retailers donated cars, with SVA adding £250 per vehicle sold. The total raised since 2011 now stands at over £340,000.
Birmingham bin boss urges striking workers to reconsider ‘very fair’ offer
Birmingham City Council’s bin boss has urged union members to reconsider its ‘very, very fair offer’ as residents report seeing ‘cat-sized rats’ and a striking bin worker fears she could lose her home.
Hundreds of bin workers have been on an indefinite all-out strike since March 11, leaving tonnes of rubbish to build up in the streets, in protest against the council’s plans to cut the role of waste recycling collection officer (WRCO).
Residents have reported terrible smells, fears about their health and huge rats as waste piles up across the city, although the city council says it has managed to collect 17,000 tonnes of rubbish in the past 10 days.
Reynolds says Chinese firms would be viewed ‘in different way’ over steel bids
The Business Secretary did not rule out Chinese firms being involved in the British steel industry in the future, after the breakdown in talks with Jingye over the Scunthorpe plant.
Jonathan Reynolds suggested that bids from the country would be looked at in ‘a different way’ to those from other nations, but said that the dispute over the North Lincolnshire site was because of ‘one specific company’.
Ministers intervened at the weekend and have been racing to secure supplies to keep the blast furnaces at Scunthorpe running, after talks with Chinese owner Jingye broke down.
Weather outlook…
Unsettled weather conditions are expected across the country today.
The Met Office has issued yellow weather warnings for rain across parts of western England and Wales, with up to 75mm of rainfall possible in some areas.
This may lead to flooding, travel disruptions, and power outages. Temperatures will range from 12°C to 18°C, with drier and brighter conditions anticipated in southern regions later in the day.
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The post Apr 16: New boss at Halfords; Petrol prices dip; Elton John’s Aston goes under the hammer appeared first on Car Dealer Magazine.
