ETB Autocentres doubling the room in Frome!

Meet the Christchurch Street ETB team! (from left) Ben Knowles, Alex Quinton, centre manager Jamie Oliver and Sarah Perry welcome motorists to their new-look Autocentre.

ETB Autocentres has become so attracted by the town of Frome that it has moved their twice, in a unique double garage acquisition worth tens of thousands of pounds.

The network is continuously looking at opportunities to expand into new areas as part of ambitious growth plans and pinpointed Somerset as an area of great potential, having opened a site in Taunton last year.

The two garage Autocentres, in Christchurch Street and Portway, have been rejuvenated since the ETB takeovers, with new equipment and signage being installed at each site, worth tens of thousands of pounds.

Jamie Oliver, centre manager of the Christchurch Street Autocentre, was also in charge when the site was known as H & B Tyres, along with five other technicians, who have all been retained under the new ownership.

He said: “Anyone who has been to us in the past will probably remember us an ‘old school’ kind of garage. It was very much a case of dropping the car off, getting the job done and getting them back out on the road as quickly as possible.

“But now we have an improved waiting area and the facilities are so much more inviting for customers. It’s a transformed place and we’ve certainly noticed a big difference following the investment.”

The site will offer the full range of automotive services including MOTs, servicing, batteries, wheel balancing, brakes and all other mechanical repairs. Its investment in the latest Hunter wheel alignment equipment also makes it one of the most technologically advanced garages in the local area for this nature of work.

At the same time, ETB also purchased the old H & B Tyres Autocentre behind the Texaco fuel station in Portway. New equipment has also been installed, including a ramp for exhaust work and a tyre changer machine. And like its sister Autocentre, it will stock a range of industry leading Bridgestone and Firestone tyres, all at extremely competitive prices.

The Autocentre also has greater capacity to attend tyre related breakdowns in the area, courtesy of a mobile fitting van and caters for virtually every vehicle – including tractors.

Centre manager Steve Roberts said: “It feels like a fresh beginning and it is exciting times right now, despite the obvious struggles with the pandemic, which we have managed to work our way through.

“We change tyres for local farmers and far contractors and also have the capability to change and balance motorcycle tyres”

ETB’s marketing manager John Tear said: “Both garages in Frome being their own unique qualities, with our Christchurch Street site offering MOTs, services and everything else in between, while the team at Portway boast a mobile tyre fitting van to get to motorists’ doors.

“We’re delighted to put our name alongside both businesses and with new equipment and refurbishments already completed, we believe that we’ll be providing an even better automotive experience for motorists in the future.”

For more information about ETB’s Christchurch Street centre, call 01373 464066.