Redundancies on the cards at dealership

SEVERAL workers are facing the boot from a prestigious car dealership in Ipswich as part of an internal shake-up, The Evening Star has learned.

It is understood two technicians and four other workers are being consulted about redundancy at the Mercedes-Benz Ipswich dealership in Ranelagh Road.

A member of staff at the dealership, who did not want to be named, said drivers and valeters are also facing pay cuts of between £2,500 and £3,000 a year.

Alun Jones, operations director for Jardine Motors Group, which runs the Ipswich dealership, told The Evening Star the company is undertaking a review of its operational structure within its Mercedes-Benz and smart dealership in Ipswich.

He said: “This process involves consultation with a number of staff and may lead to a limited number of redundancies.

“This review is as a result of both ongoing changes within the business environment and also in preparation for a move to a brand new purpose built facility which is currently being built at Ransomes Europark, Ipswich.

“The new dealership represents a significant investment for the group and will substantially improve the facilities to provide the highest levels of customer service to Mercedes-Benz and smart owners in Suffolk.”

The dealership will be moving to its new premises at Ransomes Europark in late summer.

News of the cutbacks at the Mercedes-Benz dealership come on the back of reported falls in the number of new cars being sold.

Car sales in Western Europe fell by 0.7 per cent year on year in March, and for the first quarter of 2007 the market was down by 1.1pc.

Are you or somebody you know facing redundancy? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN, or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk.