Brixham’s Central Garage revs up for 70 years of service across four generations

Fueled by family and still firing on all cylinders, Brixham’s Central Garage is celebrating 70 years of service.

Started in 1954 by Norman and Christine Ashley, the family business now spans four generations and shows no signs of slowing down. With 27 employees and garages in Torquay and Brixham, over seven decades Central Garage has become a much-loved fixture of the Bay.

“I don’t know where the years have gone,” said Peter Ashley, Norman’s son who has been working at the garage for the entire 70 years.

“I started with my dad at 17 and we said righto and got on with it. 70 years later I’m still here.”

The story of Central Garage began after Norman and Christine moved down to the Bay from Ross-on-Wye to open a new garage.

After a long search, they found the perfect spot in Brixham.

Peter explained: “We had a flat in Kingswear and we used to go up and down to Brixham, getting the paper to check whether there were any petrol stations for sale.

“One day, we came past and saw a semi-detached house with two hand pumps. There was a for sale notice on it, so we came back and bought the place for £3,200.”

Central Garage was born. The first premises was modest—a semi-detached house with just two hand pumps. But for the Ashley family, it was the beginning of something big.

Sadly, soon after buying the business, Norman fell ill with a tumour on his lung. In 1959, Norman died at the age of 56 and left the business to Christine and three sons, Peter, Micheal and John.

The three men continued to grow the business, living at the premises at the same time. Over time, the garage expanded as the family bought the adjoining properties on either side. By 1967, business was booming and Central Garage had earned a reputation in Torbay for great customer service and value for money.

To accommodate the extra trade, a new showroom was built and a large workshop was erected behind the showroom. This workshop is still Central Garages' main Brixham workshop.

Throughout, Peter, Micheal and John were unrelenting in their hard work and dedication.

“We’d do all sorts to buy and sell cars,” remembered Peter.

“Back then, what we’d do is go through the paper in the evening and buy two cars. We’d then drive them up to an auction near Pilton, near to where Glastonbury Festival is now.

“We’d then sell the two cars, catch the bus to Bristol and then the train to Churton Ferrers.

“It was a well-oiled machine. My brother used to say if we could make more than £15, we could have a bowl of soup at Temple Meads Station."

Throughout expansions and changes in the market, the family remained at the core of Central Garage.

“At one point, John was married and lived in one flat, my older brother Micheal was married and lived in the next house and I was married and lived in the house after that. It was a really wonderful time.

“We’ve all stuck together through the good times and the bad.”

Tragedy struck the family in 1975, when Peter and John lost Micheal, aged just 40. In 1977, Christine passed away as well. The fate of the garage, however, was still well and truly in the family's hands.

Over the next six years or so, John and Peter stuck to their predecessors' formula. Keep offering a brilliant standard of service and good value at the same time. Also to put profits back into the business to be able to expand when the need arises.

Central Garage continued to evolve with Simon, Peter's eldest son, joining the family business in the late 1980s at the same age of 17.

Central Garage had acquired the Rover franchise and was selling hundreds of new Rovers each year. By the early 1990s, when John's eldest son, Scott, and Peter's youngest son, David, joined the company, the Brixham base was operating at full throttle.

On November 5, 1995, Central Garage opened a second premises on the old Travis Perkins site on Newton Road, in Torquay. It featured ample indoor space for numerous offices and a spacious showroom, complete with a seven-bay workshop, as well as plenty of outdoor space for a wide selection of used cars.

“We knew that was a good move the moment it opened,” remembered Peter.

People were coming to the garages from further afield and business continued to grow, despite setbacks such as Rover, the garage’s dealership partner going into administration.

Sadly, on December 9th 2017, Central Garages lost John Ashley after a long illness, leaving Peter as the last son in the business. At 87 years old, Peter has been working for the garage for 70 years and has no plans for retirement.

Peter said: “I couldn’t think of retiring. I enjoy it so much, I couldn’t even think of it!

“My grandson Luke is 18 and he’s just started with us. My dad would love it if he could see the business now with four generations behind it.”

And it’s not just the family that goes back decades, some of the customers and employees have long histories with Central Garage as well.

One such employee was Bill Munnings. Now 82, Bill worked at Central Garage for 50 years.

“It was my dad who originally got me the job here as an apprentice,” Bill explained.

“I used to come and do Saturday mornings. I obviously enjoyed it because even after retiring I still come over. We were a family up here.”

To this day, Peter works at the garage with his son Simon and his grandson Luke, who's now 18. Over in Torquay, John's son Scott and Peter’s eldest David hold down the fort.

After 70 years and four generations of Ashleys, there are no signs of the wheels falling off this business. Instead, at a time when small, independent garages are becoming rare, Central Garage stands out as a unique survivor, a place where tradition meets the needs of modern drivers. Central Garage has an exciting road ahead.