Two North Devon car dealerships are facing the threat of closure

The only Peugeot and Volvo dealerships in North Devon are facing closure within three weeks.

Vertu Peugeot and Vertu Volvo, both based at Lauder Lane on Roundswell Business Park in Barnstaple, are currently going through a consultation with staff, with a view to closing down.

The same process is happening with Launceston Peugeot, also owned by Vertu and the Gazette understands the last day of trading for all the affected sites could be Friday, February 6.

Vertu also closed its Barnstaple BMW dealership in March 2025.

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If the latest closures go ahead, it means the nearest Peugeot or Volvo dealerships to North Devon and Torridge will be in Exeter. Other Peugeot branches are located in Torquay, Plymouth and St Austell, while there are Volvo outlets in Plymouth and Taunton.

Above: Vertu Volvo Barnstaple, in the same Roundswell building as Vertu Peugeot, could be closing alongside the company’s Peugeot dealership. Credit: Google Street View

In response to an enquiry from the North Devon Gazette, a spokesperson for Vertu Motors plc said: “We have carefully reviewed the financial viability of our Launceston Peugeot, Barnstaple Peugeot, and Barnstaple Volvo dealerships, and made the difficult decision to enter consultation with our colleagues at these locations, with a view to potentially closing them in early February.

“Customers can continue to receive the high-quality service from these locations until we agree the outcome of this consultation process, or from our other dealerships in the area.”

Vertu Motors took over the former Truscotts and Kastner Volvo dealerships in Barnstaple in December 2022, along with others in the South West, after acquiring Helston Garages, which owned both businesses.

The Peugeot branches traded under the Bristol Street Motors name until a fairly recent rebrand as Vertu Peugeot Barnstaple.