Moyes Panmure to close after 30 years

Moyes Panmure, known as the place "beside the big Mt Wellington", is to close after 30 years selling new and used cars to Aucklanders.

Directors of the well-known dealership came to the decision after its major supplier, Holden, announced changes to its long-term business strategy, which included reducing the number of its franchises.

Holden, which recently ceased manufacturing cars in Australia, told parent company Moyes Motor Group that it would no longer require their franchise agreement from 2018.

Managing director John Moyes, whose father and brother founded the business 30 years ago, said it was not feasible for Moyes Panmure to continue without Holden or securing a deal with another major brand, which had not been achieved.

"Holden's a big part of us here; not just the sales but the service and parts and the whole thing. We couldn't have survived without it, really," he said.

Holden had also dropped 30 dealers in Australia, while other major automotive brands were moving towards more boutique-style and online selling, Moyes said.

About 70 staff are employed by Moyes Motor Group, many of whom Moyes hoped would be snapped up by the company's main competitor, Giltrap Group, or other dealerships.

Staff were informed of the closure on Tuesday.

"We are extremely proud that our company has performed strongly throughout its 30-year history," Moyes said.

"We are constantly evaluating our core business and our directors have decided to explore other business interests and opportunities going forward."

He would not be drawn on what these interests and opportunities were, nor what would happen to the 2.3ha site.

The business would close by Christmas and Moyes hoped to have "cleared the decks" and sold off the remaining 250-plus cars by then.

"We couldn't find another option. Suzuki [which Moyes Panmure also has a deal with] is a good brand but we would have needed another big one to go along with it, and used cars are too difficult to do on their own on a big site like this."

He said it was unlikely another Moyes dealership would spring up in the future.

"It's a little bit sad. "Mostly I just feel sorry for the people who might not get another job straight away, but I think in this market they probably will," he said.

"The big McDonald's", which featured in Moyes Panmure's advertising campaigns for decades as a location reference, was also knocked down last week.