Gilder Group Company History

Records show that Mr William Gilder was running a car sales and service business as early as 1912, and that J.Gilder and Co Ltd. was officially formed in 1938. Business was suspended at the outbreak of war and recommenced in 1946 at Cambridge Street in Sheffield. In 1953 the company became the first Volkswagen retailer in the UK. Audi operations began in 1973 and in 1996 opened one of the first Audi-only purpose built showrooms. By that time ‘Gilders’ had also taken on the Volkswagen light commercial vehicle brand (1985) and had opened passenger car dealerships at Banner Cross and Hillsborough in Sheffield and in Rotherham...

 

Gilder Group Ltd. was then established as the new company name as Garry Scotting acquired the company from Peter Gilder in 2002. Barrington’s Volkswagen was added to the Group, creating a Volkswagen market area of Sheffield, Rotherham and Chesterfield. This was soon followed by the acquisition of Doncaster Audi, Hull Audi & York Audi (Hull & York Audi were later sold to JCT600).

A new head office, along with Sheffield Audi and Sheffield Volkswagen, opened at Meadowhead, Sheffield, in January 2009 marking a new era for the Gilder Group.

After a year of consolidation, the group was back on the acquisition trail. In 2010 the group added another brand to the portfolio by opening a SEAT dealership in Hillsborough. Heron Group Ltd, comprising of Volkswagen passenger car and van business in Newark, and TPS (Trade Parts) in Lincoln, became part of the group in February 2011. And on 31st August in the same year, the Group acquired it's first business from outside the Volkswagen Group - Peter Brookes Honda in Sheffield and Rotherham. 

The group now comprises of four Volkswagen retailers (cars), two Commercial Vehicles (vans) sites, two Audi centres, two Honda showrooms, a SEAT dealership, two TPS centres, a fleet operation and a used car dealership.   

 

Timeline

1912
William Gilder becomes one of the first ever motor retailers in Yorkshire, and indeed the UK, when he opens a car sales and servicing business on Broomspring Lane, Sheffield

1938
J. Gilder & Co ltd. is established by William’s son, Jack Gilder.

1939
Operations are suspended as Jack is enlisted in the Royal Army Services Corps to do his bit for King and country at war.

1946
The Rootes franchise is acquired for Sheffield and a new car dealership established on Cambridge Street in the centre of the city.

1950
The company takes the Jowett franchise for a short time until in 1953 Jowett stop manufacturing.

1953
J.Gilder & Co. Ltd., trading as Gilders, becomes the first Volkswagen dealer in the UK and sells the very first VW Beetle on British shores.

1957
The parts business moves to John Street with sales remaining on Cambridge street.

1965
A new site is developed at Banner Cross on Ecclesall Road, Sheffield.
Banner Cross 1968
1973
Gilders take on the Audi franchise, one of the first companies to do so in the UK.
 

1983
A Volkswagen Light Commercial Vehicle (LCV) business is established and Gilders are appointed MAN dealers.

1984
Peter Gilder becomes the Managing Director - after attaining a physics degree at Liverpool University, gaining experience in the aircraft industry and 16 years with Gilders, Jack's son takes the reins.

1985
A new department is set-up to supply fleet vehicles to business customers.

1988
The group acquire Parkinson’s Garage in Selby; a Fiat franchise. This lasts just three years before being replaced by the Volkswagen brand. The Audi business in Sheffield is transferred from Hillsborough to Banner Cross.

1990
Fred Cocking retires after becoming the first employee at Gilders to serve for 50 years.
1994
The Peugeot brand is taken on and a purpose-built dealership built at Hillsborough, Sheffield. As with the Fiat franchise at Selby; Peugeot lasts just three years before being replaced by VW, the brand now synonymous with the Gilder name

1996
Peter Gilder Audi is built on Archer Road, becoming one of the very first solus Audi Centres in the UK.

1998
A Paint and Body centre is established at Hillsborough and the Selby Volkswagen dealership is closed.

1999
Garry Scotting replaces Peter Gilder as Managing Director. After starting his automotive career as a Mechanic, all the hard work pays-off with a series of promotions taking him to the top of the company.

The Volkswagen site in Rotherham, already part owned with Listerdale Motor Company, becomes a wholly owned subsidiary of J. Gilder Holdings Ltd

2000
Chevin Audi is purchased from Pendragon Group and renamed Derby Audi. It becomes the Group’s second Audi centre and extends reach from South Yorkshire into the East Midlands.

2001
Gilders are found to meet, and in fact exceed, brand standards in the newly implemented HSO scheme, once again putting the Gilder name at the fore as one of the first to achieve the accreditation.

2002
Managing Director Garry Scotting, in agreement with Peter Gilder and other shareholders, plus the Audi & Volkswagen brands, acquires J Gilder Holdings and becomes sole owner. Peter Gilder remains as non-executive Director and Chairman of the new company: Gilder Group Ltd.

2003
The Volkswagen business in Chesterfield, Barringtons VW, is acquired completing the current market area for Gilder Volkswagen; Sheffield-Rotherham-Chesterfield.

2004
Hayselden Audi is acquired and along with it come the Barnsley and Doncaster areas of responsibility and renamed Doncaster Audi.

2005
Hull Audi and York Audi are acquired from the Layerthorpe Group. As part of Gilder Audi Ltd., they serve one of the largest single areas in the Audi network. A new state-of-the-art Audi Centre is also built on Wheatley Hall Road in Doncaster as a replacement for facilities deemed too small for the growing Audi brand.

2006
Audi Approved Chesterfield is opened to better serve both current and prospective Audi owners in the North Derbyshire area.

2007
A purpose built centre is built for the Volkswagen Commercial Vehicle operation; Gilder Van Centre. Following a hugely successful period for the group’s van business, David May heads up the new development to as the VW CV brand continues to grow.

2008
Gilder Group head office, the Volkswagen Centres at Banner Cross & Hillsborough in Sheffield, Peter Gilder Audi and Audi Approved Chesterfield move to a substantial, state-of-the art and purpose built site at the end of the year. The much anticipated development aims to provide better customer service, a wider selection of both new and used cars, and a comfortable and relaxed environment for customers to visit. Please visit www.gildergroup.co.uk/meadowhead for a photographic diary of the development.

2009
A strong start to the year attracts the attention of JCT600, which ultimately leads to an attempt to buy into the Group's success with the purchase of Hull Audi and York Audi in July 09.

2010 
SEAT is introduced to the group with the reopening of the Hillsborough dealership. The site continues to offer Volkswagen authorised repairs and servicing.  

2011
Heron Ltd is aqcuired in February, comprising both Volkswagen car and van businesses in Newark and Lincoln TPS. 

Two Honda dealerships, one in Sheffield and one on Rotherham, are acquired from Peter Brookes Ltd on 31st August.