A LONG-standing, family-run car dealership has ceased trading and is entering administration – leaving staff facing redundancy less than three weeks before Christmas.
Dealer group Hayselden has closed its Volkswagen and Skoda sites in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, with staff informed only on Friday, December 5.
Speaking to the Doncaster Free Press, one employee said: “All the staff are gutted – everyone made redundant just before Christmas.
“People have really been done over – some have more than 40 years’ service and have been treated badly.”
A sign on the door of the Volkswagen site confirms they have now ceased trading, while both the VW and Skoda locations are flagged as “permanently closed” on Google.
Volkswagen Group UK has confirmed the situation, stating that two T Hayselden Ltd Volkswagen Group UK sites in Doncaster are “regrettably heading into administration.”
The car giant has said it had been working closely with the retailer for several months but had been unable to avert the collapse.
It is now moving quickly to identify a new investor and suitable premises to provide continuity for VW and Skoda customers in the area – directing affected customers to the brands’ websites for alternative sales and servicing options.
While operations have stopped, there is, as yet, no formal administration notice on Companies House, whose page for the business was last updated in September.
The Doncaster showrooms were Hayselden’s final remaining dealership sites after the group dropped its VW outlet in Barnsley earlier this year.
The company still retains a bodyshop in Rotherham, which appears to be continuing for now.
The closures mark a major moment in the history of the business, which was founded in 1959 by Tom Hayselden and remains in family ownership.
Sun Motors has contacted Hayselden for a comment or statement.
This comes as a car dealership in Wednesbury, Sandwell, faces permanent closure after losing a key planning appeal.
West Midlands Cars Ltd was found to be operating without permission while drawing complaints from residents over excessive vehicle storage – with cars reportedly overflowing into the car park of a nearby disused pub.
And according to BirminghamLive, matters came to a head in 2023 when Sandwell Council refused a planning application, calling the use “inappropriate” for the area and harmful to nearby residents.
Owner Gul Nawaz has appealed that decision, arguing the business had helped the community by ridding the area of “druggies” while providing jobs.
But that appeal has been rejected, with the council claiming that the number of cars linked to the business had been causing serious problems on local roads – blocking two-way traffic, making it harder for drivers to see and generally clogging up the area.
A planning inspector who visited the site reportedly found vehicles partly parked on pavements, which could push people with wheelchairs or pushchairs into the road – creating obvious safety risks.
What’s more, the inspector said the appeal didn’t provide enough concrete information about how the business actually operated.
