A £3MILLION investment in a new car showroom has been announced.

Sanderson Bramall is moving its Montague Street garage in Blackburn to new premises on the Whitebirk estate.

The six-acre site will include a showroom, service departments and a new Rapid-Fit centre.

The new centre is expected to be open by next summer. Sanderson Bramall also owns garages in Burnley and Rishton.

The announcement comes as Sanderson Bramall reported record profits. The Harrogate firm saw pre-tax profits in the first half of the year motor ahead to £9.2million, up 14.5 per cent on the same period last year.

New car sales across the group rose by almost nine per cent to 13,108 units.

Sanderson Bramall is the country's fourth largest dealership with 45 car and 15 commercial vehicle dealerships.

Rumours were rife earlier this year that the dealership was about to move, but company bosses refused to confirm or deny the speculation.

The move will end 30 years of car sales at Sanderson's Montague Street base.

Westwood Mercedes Dealership, currently based on Harwood Road in Rishton will also move to the six acre Whitebirk development.

Company Director Les Dearden said: "We aim to provide the best possible services to our customers and the new facility will give us greatly enhanced facilities in which to do just that."

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