Vertu Motors PLC is a car dealership group established in 2006 in the United Kingdom. It is listed on the Alternative Investment Market.

The company began trading in 2007 after acquiring Bristol Street Motors, a Birmingham-based car dealership that was originally founded in the city back in 1924, and which had expanded to include sites across the country.[2]

The company represents a wide range of manufacturers and currently operates dealerships under the names Vertu and Bristol Street Motors.

Vertu also operated in Scotland under the Macklin Motors brand, which was launched in 2010.[3] The Macklin Motors dealerships, which stretch from Ayr in the West across to Edinburgh in the East, were rebranded as Vertu in February 2025. [4]

The growth of the company moved up a gear with the purchase of the Yorkshire-based dealership Farnell Land Rover in 2013.[5] They were rebranded as Vertu Land Rover in 2021.[6]

In 2018, Vertu acquired Hughes Group Holdings and its subsidiary Hughes of Beaconsfield[7] and the company has continued to grow since then with a number of acquisitions both small and large, including major expansion in the South West with the purchase of Helston Garages in 2022[8] and Rowes Garage Ltd in 2023.[9]

The addition of Burrows Motors Company in Yorkshire[10] saw the Vertu portfolio increase to more than 200 individual sites across England and Scotland.

Alongside the retail side of the business, Vertu provides vehicle leasing for personal and business use under the brand Vertu Lease Cars and also operates a range ancillary businesses that include Vansdirect[11] and Wiperblades.co.uk.[12]

Partnerships

Previous logo

Vertu has a range of different partnerships across the worlds of sport and entertainment, both at a brand and a local level.

One of Vertu's main partnerships revolves around the BTCC, where the company has backed the EXCELR8 team since 2021.

It took up the role of title sponsor for the 2022 campaign,[13] where it secured the title with Tom Ingram. Having previously competed under the Bristol Street Motors name, the team reverts to running as Team VERTU from the 2025 season.[14]

The company is also the title sponsor of the MINI CHALLENGE, a role it adopted from the start of 2023.[15]

Other motorsport-related partnerships saw Vertu sponsor Channel 4 F1 from 2020-2022 through the Bristol Street Motors and Macklin Motors brands, whilst the Click2Drive Bristol Street Motors Racing team competed in the 2022 W Series season with drivers Alice Powell and Jessica Hawkins.[16]

Vertu also operates a number of partnerships in football, the biggest of which saw it named as the Official Car Dealer of the English Football League in November 2023,[17] with the EFL Trophy being referred to as the Bristol Street Motors Trophy for the 2023/24 season.

As part of Vertu's brand consolidation, the competition was then renamed as the Vertu Trophy in November 2024.[18]

The company also has long-running partnerships with a number of clubs, including Burnley FC,[19] Sunderland FC[20] and Plymouth Argyle,[21] whilst in December 2024, it signed a multi-year strategic partnership agreement with Birmingham City F.C.[22]

Previous football partners include the likes of Middlesbrough FC,[23] Hearts[24] and Hibernian FC.[25]

Vertu sponsors the Newcastle Eagles[26] basketball team, whose home stadium is now called the Vertu Motors Arena, whilst it has a relationship with the Scottish side Caledonia Gladiators.[27]

Cricket relationships with Yorkshire County Cricket Club.[28], Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club[29] and Somerset County Cricket Club[30] - as well as a deal with Exeter Chiefs[31] Rugby Club - round out an expansive sports portfolio.

Away from sport, Vertu is a founding partner[32] of Co-op Live in Manchester and has naming rights over the atrium area known as Vertu Place.[33]

Vertu is also a partner of the Newcastle Theatre Royal.[34]

References

  1. ^ "Vertu Motors: why listed car dealership has scope for another bonanza year". thearmchairtrader.com. 12 January 2022. Retrieved 26 July 2022.
  2. ^ "Bristol Street Motors celebrates 100th anniverary". Motor Trader. 22 March 2024. Retrieved 4 Feb 2025.
  3. ^ "Acquisition to accelerate Macklin Motors roll-out". Vertu Motors Investors. 9 June 2010. Retrieved 4 February 2025.
  4. ^ "Macklin Motors Rebrands As Vertu With Community-Focused Food Drive". 4 February 2025. Retrieved 4 February 2025.
  5. ^ "Vertu Motors unveils acquisition". Financial Times. 22 May 2013. Retrieved 16 January 2015.
  6. ^ "Vertu Motors to grow scale and 'big brand' marketing profile in 2021". am-online.com. 12 May 2021. Retrieved 26 July 2022.
  7. ^ "Vertu grows Mercedes-Benz business with Hughes acquisition". Motor Trader. 2 July 2018. Retrieved 16 October 2024.
  8. ^ "Helston Volvo dealerships rebranded under Vertu ownership". Motor Trader. 21 April 2023. Retrieved 4 February 2025.
  9. ^ "Vertu Motors Expands South West Footprint With Acquisition Of Rowes Garage Ltd". Vertu Motors Investors. 1 November 2023. Retrieved 4 February 2025.
  10. ^ "Vertu Motors continues bumper year by acquiring family-run Burrows Motor Company". Car Dealer. 29 October 2024. Retrieved 4 February 2025.
  11. ^ "Vansdirect About Us". Vans Direct. 4 February 2025. Retrieved 4 February 2025.
  12. ^ "Vertu Motors buys online Wiper Blades business for £3.5m". Motor Trader. 1 July 2022. Retrieved 4 February 2025.
  13. ^ "EXCELR8 MOTORSPORT UNVEILS 2022 LIVERY AND BRISTOL STREET MOTORS TITLE PARTNERSHIP". BTCC. 2 March 2022. Retrieved 5 February 2025.
  14. ^ "Tom Ingram and Tom Chilton to spearhead Team VERTU charge in 2025 BTCC". TouringCarTimes. 28 October 2024. Retrieved 5 February 2025.
  15. ^ "Vertu Motors named as new MINI CHALLENGE UK title sponsor". British Automobile Racing Club. 31 January 2023. Retrieved 5 February 2025.
  16. ^ "Bristol Street Motors Launches Click2Drive W Series Race Team". Bristol Street Motors. 28 February 2022. Retrieved 5 February 2025.
  17. ^ "Bristol Street Motors Trophy: EFL Trophy changes sponsor midway through campaign". BBC. 2 November 2023. Retrieved 14 February 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  18. ^ "Bristol Street Motors Trophy renamed Vertu Trophy". EFL. 2024-11-21. Retrieved 2024-11-21.
  19. ^ "Bristol Street Motors - Official Automotive Partner". Burnley FC Official Site. 4 December 2024. Retrieved 14 February 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  20. ^ "Vertu Motors extends support for Sunderland AFC". MotorTrader. 13 August 2024. Retrieved 14 February 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  21. ^ "Vertu Motors". Plymouth Argyle - Official Site. 17 March 2023. Retrieved 14 February 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  22. ^ "Blues goes through the gears with Vertu deal". Birmingham City F.C. Official Site. 4 December 2024. Retrieved 17 January 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  23. ^ "Vertu Motors Continues its Support For The Boro". Vertu Motors. 2 February 2023. Retrieved 14 February 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  24. ^ "Macklin Motors becomes official club partner of Heart of Midlothian FC". AM-Online. 27 October 2021. Retrieved 14 February 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  25. ^ "Hibs Extends Macklin Motors Partnership". Hibernian FC. 18 December 2023. Retrieved 14 February 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  26. ^ "Vertu Motors Drives Forward With Newcastle Eagles Partnership". Vertu Motors. 13 September 2023. Retrieved 14 February 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  27. ^ "Caledonia Gladiators - Sponsor". Caledonia Gladiators. Retrieved 14 February 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  28. ^ "VERTU MOTORS GOES IN TO BAT FOR YORKSHIRE". Yorkshire County Cricket Club. 2021-04-01. Retrieved 2025-01-17.
  29. ^ "COMMUNITY FOCUS AS VERTU PARTNERSHIP ENTERS THIRD SUMMER". Trent Bridge. 28 February 2024. Retrieved 14 February 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  30. ^ "Vertu Motors And Somerset County Cricket Blast Into 2024 Together". Vertu Motors. 12 February 2024. Retrieved 14 February 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  31. ^ "Chiefs and Vertu Motors Renew Partnership Ahead of 2024/25 Season". Exeter Chiefs. 9 August 2024. Retrieved 14 February 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  32. ^ "Bristol Street Motors becomes founding partner of Manchester's new Co-Op Live arena". AM-Online. 7 December 2021. Retrieved 14 February 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  33. ^ "CO-OP LIVE OPENS THE DOOR TO VERTU PLACE". Co-op Live. 13 December 2024. Retrieved 14 February 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  34. ^ "Bristol Street Motors Newcastle Ford Renews Newcastle Theatre Royal Partnership". Vertu Motors. 9 September 2024. Retrieved 14 February 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)


Allikas: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vertu_Motors
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