Stanley Street Motors has closed after 45 years in Lowestoft. John Mitchell shut the business in June due to retirement and ill health.
He announced the closure on Facebook on 2 June. The remaining cars were cleared and sold to another local dealer within days.
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The Final Days
Nigel and Joanne, who worked there for years, handled the last few days. Customers who had bought cars from them were disappointed but wished him well in retirement.
“Bought a couple of cars from Nigel and one only a few months ago,” one customer wrote on Facebook at the time. “40 years is an amazing achievement.”
Another commented: “We have bought several cars of Nigel over the past years. Very good cars.”
Customer reviews stayed positive right until the end. Google reviews showed a 4.6 star rating from 62 customers, with some customers travelling over 250 miles to buy vehicles from the site.
Six Decades of Automotive History
The site sold second-hand cars to Lowestoft drivers for more than 60 years under various owners. Before Mitchell’s 45 years running it, the location operated as a Mobile petrol station. Adrian Marjoram’s father ran it during that time, and one Facebook commenter mentioned starting an apprenticeship there in 1960.
“60 years ago it belonged to Vic Howard (Howard’s motors) who also owned the sheet metal fabrications business behind the garage,” wrote Shaun Wilson on Facebook. “Vic was a good mate of my dad’s and raced sports cars for fun.”
Sean Clarke recalled on Facebook: “They had one of the original Audi Quattro Turbos in there many years ago. I went in to enquire about it and was told it had been sold to a guy to then give to his 17 year old son. Barking mad!”
The site has an odd history underground. Mark Sheppard, who worked on the foundations years ago, recalled finding bright green and orange soil from an old fish processing works that stood there previously. Environmental Health confirmed the contamination came from salts used in the pickling process.
Property Sold Before Auction
Auction House East Anglia put the showroom up for sale with a guide price of £250,000 to £300,000. The site included the showroom, workshop, two offices and space for more than 30 cars on the forecourt.
It sold before the 18 June auction. Six months on, nobody knows who bought it or what they plan to do. The auctioneers said it could stay as a car dealership or be redeveloped.
The town centre location, close to the railway station, carried business rates of £21,250 a year.
Community Speculation About Future Use
Residents debated on Facebook about what might replace it. Several suggested residential development, though others hoped it would continue as a car dealership.
“It’s a development site. Very large area with additional land on Raglan Street,” Paul Hart commented. “Social housing would be good.”
Christopher Rayner wished the team well: “Happy retirement to John and Nigel and I hope the staff have gone on to find work elsewhere. You have provided great service over many years.”
Independent Dealers Struggle With Rising Costs
Mitchell’s closure came as other car dealers across Britain faced similar problems. Government figures show 2,718 businesses closed in the first three months of 2025, the highest quarterly total since 2021.
Other family run dealers struggled throughout the year. Mylchreests Group on the Isle of Man closed in April after 65 years, while Denbury Diesels in Devon shut down in August after 54 years.
Car Dealer Magazine reported that forecourt dealers faced mounting pressures in 2025. Increased National Insurance contributions, higher wages and competition from online car sales platforms all contributed to the difficulties.
Major chains also closed dealerships during the year. Evans Halshaw shut six sites, Marshall Motor Group axed multiple locations, and Group 1 Automotive closed three dealerships.
Robin Luscombe, who runs Luscombe Motors in Leeds, told industry publications that smaller family operations get bought by larger groups seeking profitable sites. “If you’ve got an independent, family owned business, he’s got skin in the game. He’s got passion,” Luscombe said.
For more on business closures across East Anglia, visit NewZire.
What Happened Next
The Lowestoft Journal reported the sale but the buyer’s plans remain unknown. No announcement has been made about whether the site will continue as a car dealership or be redeveloped.
The forecourt held dozens of cars for decades. It was emptied within days of Mitchell’s announcement. After 45 years, Stanley Street Motors was gone.
