May 2020

T here’s never been anything quite like it. Even two months ago, the Coronavirus outbreak seemed a distant concern to many people. Now it is changing the social and economic landscape of the country. The impact can be felt everywhere, from 10 Downing Street, all the way to your garage. Businesses everywhere are chipping in with the national effort, and taking stock too. Last issue we looked at how North Yorkshire’s Pure Car Mechanics had, prior to the Coronavirus lockdown taking place, already instituted measures to support customers who self-isolating or were otherwise affected by the burgeoning crisis. Co-owner Angela Snowden told us: “Supporting the community is what we are always doing, and other garages should definitely think about promoting these sorts of services if they are able to offer them. We are only doing what other local businesses in other sectors are doing. We are saying ‘yes we are here, and we can help out, if needed’.” Pure Car Mechanics were quick off the mark in noting the change in circumstances, but they weren’t alone. Businesses across the UK have been looking at their options, and whether staying open to support key workers is the right course, or if closing for a short period might be the way to go. Busy Ben Thompson is the owner of A1 Autocentre in Basildon. At the start of the UK partial lockdown at the end of March, MOTs were still running normally, as the deferment option had not yet been made available. As a result it was very busy at A1: “We are probably one of the biggest MOT garages in the country,” said Ben, “at least down south. We normally do between 40 and 50 MOTs most days. We do pretty much everything. We do servicing, we do mechanical work, tyres, alignment, stuff like that. We have 16 staff. At the moment we have three drivers who are going around picking up cars for people who need MOTs, servicing or anything done repair-wise. Our drivers pick the car up from the customer, bring it to the garage, we do the MOT or service or repair, take the payment over the phone, then we drop it back to them. “We are still open, and unless the government says otherwise we are going to remain open, and try to keep going. Right now, everyone is parking out the front. We are going out, taking the keys out, putting them in a bag and taking them into the workshop. We are then doing the work, taking the car back out and leaving it at the front. Afterwards we take the payment over the phone.” Social distancing was definitely underway here? “Exactly,” said Ben. “We have locked up the office, and no one is allowed in the waiting room. Nobody is allowed in the garage at all. We are allowing people to come in to pay for their MOTs, but that is one person at a time. Paying with the machine is different to dealing with our receptionist. They come in, make the payment, the MOT is already placed in the car with the keys, and they just go in their car.” We wondered how the staff felt about all of this: “Obviously some of my staff have been a little bit worried and did not want to come in, while others are of the opinion that they would rather be at work than at home. We are giving them the option, so they can either stay away or come in. “A couple of our guys who are a bit 8 AFTERMARKET MAY 2020 BIG ISSUE Below: Outside at A1 Auto Centre www.aftermarketonline.net CORONAVIRUS: THE VIEW FROM THE WORKSHOP Garages across the UK are having to consider how to approach COVID-19 as the situation unfolds