Leading Defender dealership celebrates taking on four new recruits
Aug 09
Specialist automotive dealership LR Motors, whose parent company Twisted Automotive recently won a three-year legal battle with industry giant Jaguar Land Rover over the use of the letters LR, has taken on four new members of staff.
Boasting one of the UK’s largest on-site stock lists, Yorkshire-based LR Motors has welcomed a new general manager, Stephen Boumphrey.
Motorsport enthusiast Stephen, from Thornaby, joins LR Motors after 11 years as a sales manager with Kia specialists Piccadilly Motors in Ripon. Stephen said he was keen to take on a new challenge at this friendly local company with an exciting future.
Stephen is joined on the forecourt by sales executive Jacob Platts. Jacob, from Ripon, was already a Saturday assistant at Twisted so when he finished his A-levels, couldn’t wait to work with his favourite vehicle full-time.
He said: “I have a deep interest in the Defender – its versatility always amazes me. Land Rovers are part of the British countryside. When I looked into what I wanted to do after my A-levels there was no argument – I already worked at Twisted on a Saturday so why would I need to look any further than the company I’m already part of and enjoy?”
Workshop assistant Josh Dunning, from Easingwold, enjoyed a varied career until joining LR Motors, having worked as a tractor driver, delivery driver and crop protection storekeeper. A lifelong Defender enthusiast, Josh describes the decision to join LR Motors as a ‘no brainer’: “I fancied a change of career and I’ve always loved the Defender,” he said.
Completing the quartet of new recruits is valet specialist Glyn Groves, from Ripon. Glyn previously headed up the valet team at Piccadilly Motors and felt joining LR Motors would be a new and exciting challenge.
Glyn will also work on vehicles for LR Motors’ sister company Twisted Automotive, which re-engineers the Land Rover Defender for customers around the globe.
In addition to boosting the workforce, the company is also in the process of setting up an online shop, which will be up and running later this year.
LR Motors was established in November 2015 and turned over more than £3.7m in the last financial year. In April, the company won a landmark court case against Jaguar Land Rover over the use of the letters ‘LR’ in its name.
JLR had attempted to register the letters as a trademark three years previously, requesting that Twisted and LR Motors refrain from using them, on the basis that it was widely understood that the letters referred to Land Rover.
This was rejected by the UK Intellectual Property Court and, following an appeal by JLR, was also turned down by a High Court judge, Mrs Justice Rose, who commented that the ‘understanding’ was merely an assertion by JLR. A second appeal was rejected in April this year by the Rt Hon Justice Floyd.
LR Motors and Twisted founder Charles Fawcett commented: “I’m delighted to welcome four new members to the LR Motors team. The recent conclusion of the court case means we can concentrate fully on growing the business and Stephen, Jacob, Josh and Glyn are the perfect additions to the team as they all share my own passion for the Defender.”
LR Motors offers exclusively pre-owned Land Rover Defender vehicles for sale in addition to offering a wide range of Defender accessories, part exchange and finance package options.
The company, based in Sussex Court, Thirsk, alongside Twisted Automotive’s workshop, has an established track record of outstanding customer service.
For more information, visit: www.lrmotors.co.uk.