The motor trade has called for the Scottish Government to allow the immediate reopening of dealerships to “save” the market.
Scottish Motor Trade Association (SMTA) chief executive Sandy Burgess has written to First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Fair Work and Culture, Fiona Hyslop.
He said: “Our message to Ministers is that we’re ready to go now. All dealers have taken very robust measures to tackle the coronavirus threat and are all set for appointment-only opening, and we want to help kick-start the economy.”
Burgess said the steps taken by SMTA members to make their premises as safe as possible for consumers and staff went way beyond anything customers would experience in a garden centre. He pointed out that, unlike at garden centres, queues wouldn’t be a problem for those buying a new car.
Burgess had expected Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s announcement this week that showrooms in England could open from June 1.
He emphasised that car retailers were able to embrace proper levels of hygiene and safety and, as large, relatively open spaces, were well equipped to provide ample social distancing and control measures to protect both the workforce and public.
Burgess wrote: “The workshops are already able to function and are very well equipped and prepared to provide a safe environment for all. The controlled opening of car showrooms is a viable and logical extension of the route back to something resembling normality.”
He also asked the Scottish Government to allow a “click and collect” system such as that being run in England. He said this would enable a backlog of cars waiting to be delivered to be shifted from the forecourts.
He told Sturgeon: “We urgently need some opportunity to save the new and used car markets, and stimulate positive movement in a major part of the economy.”
And the SMTA boss pointed to the evidence of a pent-up desire in the car market, as commuters sought an alternative to using public transport. But he feared English traders being able to open up while their Scottish counterparts remained closed gave them an advantage.
He explained it would allow those south of the Border to sell used cars at relatively high prices because of demand. Meanwhile, Scottish firms would be left sitting with stock that was devaluing, resulting in lower profit margins or even losses.
UK automotive retailers employ 590,000 people, who together work to drive a sector worth about £200billion. It’s estimated that keeping showrooms shut has cost the Westminster Treasury £61million a day in lost taxes and furlough payments.
