Work has started on transforming one of the island’s best known family car businesses which is moving with the times for the benefit of both customers and staff.

Significant investment has been put into the project at Bettridges in Mines Road, Foxdale.

At the centre of the work is the dismantling of the company’s current building.

It will be replaced by a new two-storey structure designed to improve the customer experience.

Brothers Peter, Noel and Mark Bettridge, who are partners, say the work is taking place now to fit in with the huge roadworks scheme in the village.

They stress it’s ’business as usual’ during the works which should be complete by October when the replacement workshop and car display showroom is expected to be opened.

The brothers are excited by the prospects and are hopeful people will come to look and see what they are doing.

Peter Bettridge told Business News it will usher in a new era for the well-known family business at a time when garages and car dealers are facing increased competition in the island.

He said: ’We are not afraid of competition.’

He added: ’We’ve purposefully done this at the same time as the disruption with the roads.

’It’s a situation where we thought if we are going to do it we need to do it when we think we are going to have disruption anyway.

’This will all create a huge difference for the benefit of customers and staff.

’The road works will hopefully regenerate the village and at the same time we are helping to put Foxdale on the map.

’We believe we can help to breathe new life into the area .’

Peter added that he thinks this could be the startof a new era for Foxdale.

He believes the village has not had such a fair crack of the whip over the years.

’I think Foxdale has been treated pretty poorly.

’Most of the investment in the village over the years has been from the residents who take an interest and care.

’The assistance by the powers-to-be has not been up to much over the years.’

Peter Bettridge said they were proud to be using local companies to carry out the work which has already started. ’We like to support them and they us.’

Including the three brothers some 10 people work for Bettridges which prides itself on finding vehicles to suit all groups of people.

The 30 weeks it will take for the work to be done will be worth it, says Peter.

At present the business is split over two sites -the workshop is around a mile away.

The new set-up will mean everything can be done on one site making the customer experience even better than it is now.

The current building has been used for around 10 years but the brothers acknowledge the site needs to be improved.

The Bettridge brothers are Foxdale born and bred.

They pride themselves on providing cars to tempt everyone - from the smallest first time cars up to all ranges and even including commercial vehicles.

They source most of their cars from the UK.

’Foxdale is a very community minded place and we are proud to be part of it.’