Garage business on move

8:40am Sunday 27th January 2008

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THE owner of a Winchester motor care company had a change of luck after he thought he would have to pack up his popular business.

Derek Osgood owns Derek Osgood Motor Care and was fearing that he would have nowhere to move his workshop when his lease expired at his current premises, based at Yew Tree Service Station in Pitt.

But his luck changed when a local farmer agreed to rent him a spot on his farm, less than a mile away.

Mr Osgood had to find a new premises because Yew Tree Service Station is to close this week and the car workshop, which he rents from petrol station owner, Clive Easter, is due to be demolished to make way for a bungalow.

The mechanic said that despite having a long time to find a new workshop, it was a difficult task finding somewhere in Winchester. He added: "Initially there was a bit of panic we wouldn't be able to find anywhere to trade from locally. We really didn't want to lose our loyal customers - the key for me was to stay local."

But by chance, Mr Easter knew that a farmer in Pitt had recently been given planning permission to build a workshop on his land at Vale Farm in nearby Enmill Lane.

Mr Osgood contacted the farmer who agreed to rent him the land and the workshop is currently being built.

He said: "It's a sad time because we've enjoyed working here but we're glad that we're going somewhere less than a mile away and can keep our customers."

He will close his workshop at Yew Tree Garage on Tuesday, February 29 and reopen at Vale Farm on March 17.

Customers can still get in touch on the usual number: 01962 840144.