A proud heritage

PEOPLE love Horners! We’ve now been serving northwest motorists for some 80 years, and, through our continuing commitment to customers’ needs, we’ve grown into one of the largest privately owned motor groups today.

The original business was established back in 1922 as an Austin dealership. Over the decades F. Horner & Son became a landmark on Bury New Road, Manchester (still our headquarters) selling and servicing cars and providing forecourt petrol sales.

• When the company was purchased from the Horners family in 1986, it was still a comparatively small concern with a showroom for just one vehicle. Around 100 cars a year were sold; there were 12 staff; and the annual turnover was £5 million.
• Horners have expanded somewhat since then! We currently sell 5,000 cars each year; we have 180 staff; and our turnover is £40million. With dealerships in Burnley, Bury, Manchester and Rochdale, comprising three Mitusbishi dealerships, two Skoda and one for FIAT too. We also have three Horners Direct Car Supermarket sites and an independent specialist body shop.

The secret of our success? It’s just giving great value and maintaining the personal touch that has become the Horners trademark. Our directors all work ‘hands on’ in the business every day, and our mission is simply to deliver extraordinary levels of service consistently.

People are happy with Horners. We enjoy a particularly warm relationship with customers * and an exceptionally high retention rate * and our own staff turnover is extremely low. In fact, six of the original twelve members of staff from 1986 remain with us to this day, including 70-year-old George Yearwood, who‘s been at Horners for 37 years.