A FAMILY business with almost 60 years of trading history has announced to staff that it proposes to close the retail arm of its operation.

Furness Park was established as a motor dealership by Alan Stoker in 1966, when he opened a car sales, service and petrol station business in Abbey Road.

For almost six decades, the company has traded locally and nationwide, offering low mileage late plate cars to thousands of customers.

But the company said a change in the used car market since the start of the pandemic has led to proposals to move the business to a trade-only operation, with the closure of all public-facing services.

Staff have been informed today of the proposals and a 14-day consultation period has started.

A total of 11 team members are said to be affected.

Managing partner Glenn Stoker, who joined the company 34 years ago, said: “The used car market has changed unrecognisably since the Covid-19 pandemic.

"The availability of high-quality vehicles that fit the profile of Furness Park stock - and more importantly meet the expectations of our discerning customers - is increasingly challenged.

“Without the volume of suitable vehicles we need to run a viable retail business, we have had to reassess how we might operate going forwards.

"The Furness Park business has excellent links to many other companies in the trade, and our focus going forwards will be those trade relationships.

“It is with great sadness that we are proposing to bring to a close what has been an extraordinarily happy, productive and fulfilling period of retail trading.

"Furness Park has been a part of the Barrow community for many decades and we have always enjoyed and have been proud of the role we have played in it.

“Our focus is now on the consultation period, during which we will be offering our valued team all the support and time they need.”

In addition to the car sales operation, Furness Park also has a service department which offers MOT, service and after sales care.

Under the proposed restructuring of the business, this would also cease to operate.

Customers with future service, MOT and maintenance requirements will be directed to DSG in Ironworks Road, if the proposals go ahead.