Auto dealer Williams Group to invest £41m in new TraffordCity showrooms

Auto dealer Williams Group is investing millions in a new flagship retail centre at TraffordCity.

The family-owned business will create 20 jobs at the £41m showroom complex, which will sit next to intu Trafford Centre and sell BMW, MINI, Land Rover and Jaguar cars.

Williams’ vision for the 14.3-acre plot, formerly used as a container base, includes a three-storey glass-fronted showroom for its range of BMWs.

MINI will be incorporated into the centre with a new purpose-built 10-car showroom, while the Jaguar and Land Rover brands will be showcased through the ARCH concept – a dual-branded showroom with space for 18 cars and a service drive through.

The facility will be the latest addition to the Barton Dock Road route into TraffordCity, which is also home to event space EventCity, a Holiday Inn Express and several family attractions.

A new Metrolink tram station, due for completion in 2020, will be located opposite the Williams’ development.

Williams Group will move its Manchester operations on Upper Brook Street and Birchall Way to the new site, which will house 240 of the company’s 812 employees, as well as the 20 new recruits.

Work is due to start early Summer 2018 and complete within a year.

Nick Cook, managing director of Williams Group, said: “We operate one of the largest family groups of premium and luxury automotive retail centres in the country and continually invest and improve our business to benefit our staff and customers.

“As a family-owned business, we are underlining our commitment to the region by relocating to this flagship 14-acre site where we will retail and service cars from the finest retail centres in the North West.”

He continued: “Once complete we will be delivering the Williams’ difference that our loyal customers have come to expect and look forward to welcoming new customers to our new location.”

TraffordCity is owned by Peel Land & Property Group.

James Whittaker, development director at Peel, commented: “We’re delighted that Williams has agreed to invest and build such a high standard showroom and servicing facility at TraffordCity.

“BMW, MINI, Jaguar and Land Rover are exactly the kind of aspirational brands we wanted to attract to activate this part of TraffordCity, which is going through some fundamental improvements including the development of the new Trafford Park Metrolink line.”