Oldfields wins another national ‘Garage of the Year’ award

Tuesday 25th March 2025

We’ve gone and scooped another major national award at a prestigious industry event!

Oldfields Garage has been named ‘Garage of the Year’ at the first-ever Castrol Service Conference, held at Celtic Manor in Newport, Wales, on Friday 21st March. The award, part of Castrol’s ‘Forever Forward Awards,’ celebrates independent garages that deliver outstanding service and expertise.

Tim said: “We take immense pride in delivering outstanding service to our customers, and to be recognised among so many of the UK’s leading independent garages is something special.

“Our commitment to investing in technology, training, and customer experience ensures we remain at the forefront, and this award is a reflection of that dedication.”

The Castrol Service Conference brought together more than 260 independent garages from across the UK and Ireland. Attendees took part in workshops on topics such as digital marketing and business management, while also learning about Castrol’s latest products and services. The event ended with a gala dinner, where the ‘Forever Forward Awards’ were presented.

This latest accolade adds to a string of major industry honours we’ve received over the past year.

Tim added: “This award really reflects the hard work of our entire team, and we’d like to thank our loyal customers for their continued support. We’re committed to providing the best service possible and look forward to continuing to serve the local community.”

MP Ellie Chowns visits Oldfields Garage

Wednesday 15th January 2025

We recently welcomed Herefordshire Green MP Ellie Chowns to our workshop, having won several prestigious industry and local awards over the past year.

Ellie Chowns MP said: “I visited Oldfields as part of Small Business Saturday, a programme of visits to celebrate and support local enterprises. Independent businesses like Oldfields Garage are vital to fostering a thriving community, and I was proud to meet Tim to discuss the achievement of the garage and his concerns for the industry.

“Oldfields Garage has built an excellent reputation in Leominster, and in recent months, they’ve been honoured with several awards, including Apprentice Employer of the Year. They’ve also made headlines for having the youngest EV-qualified apprentice in the country. These are achievements that truly deserve recognition.”

During the visit, Tim raised some key concerns facing the wider automotive industry. One important issue was the outdated MOT test fee, which has remained unchanged since 2010 despite rising costs for garages.

He also highlighted the need for formal industry regulation to improve safety and quality, much like the Gas Safe Register for gas engineers. Currently, anyone with the finances can open a garage and work on vehicles without proper qualifications, leading to inconsistent work and potential safety risks for customers.

Additionally, Mr Benson discussed the ongoing challenge of attracting young talent to the automotive sector, which is hindered by outdated perceptions and a lack of vocational training in schools. He emphasised the importance of reshaping how the industry is viewed and promoting apprenticeships to address the skills gap and ensure the future of high-quality, sustainable automotive services.

“We are proud to be part of this community and grateful to Ellie Chowns for taking the time to listen to the issues that are impacting the automotive sector,” said Tim. “Independent garages like ours are crucial to the local economy, but we face significant challenges that threaten our long-term sustainability. It was great to have the opportunity to highlight these concerns.”

Double win at Herefordshire Ludlow & North Shropshire College Awards

Thursday 21st November 2024

We are celebrating once again after our very own Owen Lloyd, was named Motor Vehicle Apprentice of the Year at the prestigious Herefordshire Ludlow and North Shropshire College Apprenticeship Awards held on 19th November 2024.

In addition to Owen’s success, Oldfields Garage itself was honoured with the Apprentice Employer of the Year Award, recognising our commitment to developing young talent in the automotive industry.

The awards ceremony, held at the college’s Hereford Campus, saw Owen’s hard work and dedication to his apprenticeship recognised by his assessor and tutors. As part of the Oldfields team, Owen has proven himself to be an asset, impressing both colleagues and customers alike with his skills and enthusiasm.

“Owen is a shining example of the future of the automotive industry,” said Tim Benson, Managing Director at Oldfields Garage. “We are incredibly proud of him for receiving this well-deserved recognition. He has shown tremendous promise, and his achievements reflect his commitment to excellence in his trade.”

Earlier this year, Owen made headlines by becoming the youngest vehicle technician in the UK to achieve an Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) Level 3 qualification in hybrid and electric vehicles at just 19 years of age.

“I’ve learned so much and had so many opportunities to develop my skills, especially in electric vehicles, which I’m really passionate about,” said Owen. “I’m grateful to everyone at Oldfields for their support, and it’s great to see my hard work paying off. I’m excited for what’s ahead and can’t wait to keep learning and growing.”

Phil Dallow, Motor Vehicle Apprentice Assessor at Herefordshire Ludlow and North Shropshire College, said: “Owen has shown exceptional dedication and aptitude throughout his apprenticeship, consistently going above and beyond to develop his skills.

“Oldfields Garage has provided him with an excellent foundation to grow and thrive, offering outstanding support and opportunities for their apprentices. Their commitment to nurturing young talent makes them truly deserving of the Apprentice Employer of the Year award.”

This latest award follows three major accolades for Oldfields Garage in the last year alone, including being named Garage of the Year at the 2024 British Independent Garage of the Year Awards.

“At Oldfields Garage, we believe in nurturing and developing the next generation of skilled technicians,” said Tim. “It’s been a pleasure watching Owen grow, and we’re committed to continuing to offer top-quality apprenticeships to help young people succeed in this rewarding industry.”

Claire Lloyd, Owen’s mum, said she was immensely proud of her son’s achievements after attending the awards ceremony with Owen’s father and his employer, Tim Benson.

“Seeing Owen named Motor Vehicle Apprentice of the Year was such a proud moment for our family,” she said. “He’s worked so hard to get here, and it was wonderful to celebrate his success with Tim, who has been so supportive.”

Well done Owen!

Another win for Oldfields at the British Independent Garage of the Year Awards

Monday 30th September 2024

We’ve been named ‘Garage of the Year’ at the 2024 British Independent Garage of the Year Awards and it marks the third major accolade for the business in the last year.

Oldfields Garage scooped the award in the ‘Small Garage’ category during a prestigious ceremony hosted by TV presenter, Mark Durden-Smith at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole on Friday 20th September.

Tim Benson, managing director at Oldfields Garage said: “This latest award is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our team, who always go above and beyond for our customers.

“We take great pride in delivering an excellent service, and it’s an honour to be recognised for doing what we love.”

The British Independent Garage of the Year Awards recognise outstanding achievements in the industry, showcasing the top garage businesses, suppliers, and individuals in the UK.

Earlier this year, we won the ‘Independent Garage of the Year’ award at the 2024 CAT Awards, hosted by trade magazine, Car Aftermarket Trader. The garage was also named ‘Top Garage 2023’ by judges as part of a national garage competition.

Mr Benson said: “Winning three national awards in just one year is truly incredible.

“It’s a proud moment for our business and highlights the consistent quality and dedication we bring to everything we do.”

The garage’s commitment to excellence has earned it a loyal customer base, with drivers returning not only for routine servicing and maintenance but also for complex diagnostic work.

Stuart James, CEO of the Independent Garage Association (IGA), the organisation behind the British Independent Garage of the Year Awards, said: “Independent garages play a vital part in the economy, and these awards highlight the crucial role they play in keeping the industry thriving. Congratulations to all the winners and finalists.”

2023, what a year it’s been!

Wednesday 27th December 2023

As we head towards 2024, I’m really not sure where to start with my review of 2023, because it’s been one of our best yet!

I’d like to say a huge thank you to our customers for entrusting us with their vehicles, year after year. Our team try really hard to provide the best experience possible and this is shown through our customer satisfaction NPS score again being 94 for the entire year from 664 customer surveys – a staggering number in NPS terms because it goes from -100 to 100. While 95.8% of our 664 customers are “Very Satisfied” with us overall, we don’t get everything right and we’ll all be working hard to continue to develop, improve where we can and most importantly maintain the high levels of service we aim for.

Our team have done brilliantly in terms of industry recognition again this year, as Oldfields were shortlisted for 3 national awards finals. Automechanika “Garage of the Year”, Independent Garage Association “Community Engagement” and for the second year running “Top Garage.” This year we WON Top Garage 2023. Reaching any final in a national competition is an amazing achievement for the team and for us to actually win the most prestigious award in the country for our category is fantastic recognition. We’ve just been told we’ve reached another shortlist for February next year, so we’ll be looking to continue this progress into 2024.

We’ve continued to develop our Team with Chris gaining EV & Hybrid Level 3, Sam becoming an MOT tester and Katie attending The Road to Technical Service Advisor training at Tech Topics. We’ve also introduced two team staples to our month, BBQ Friday and Chippy Friday – it’s been so well received, it happens even when I’m not there.

We continue to contribute to the local community sponsoring Leominster in Bloom again, supporting the Food Bank and St Michaels Hospice as our Christmas Donation in lieu of cards and we’ve continued to support Luctonians Rugby Club, this time by agreeing to be Main Sponsors of the Female Team, Luctonians Vixens for the next 3 year years as they entered their first competitive league season. I’ve really enjoyed going down to support them, they are a great bunch and are developing and improving quickly!

It’s not all been positive though, Andy who has been our main MOT tester for nearly 10 years retired, a little earlier than expected and primarily due to health concerns. I hope he is able to enjoy his retirement; spend time on his hobbies and with family when he can.

Personally, I’ve had a lot of opportunities this year. I’ve been able to support some brilliant charities with some amazing friends. Five of us hiked a Marathon in the Wye Valley for Macmillan, raising nearly £5500 and over 50 of us hiked a challenging route through the Peak District for BEN – The Automotive Charity raising over £12,000. I’ve also Run as Santa with my family and friends for St Michaels Hospice. Next year will be interesting because I’ve agreed to do another hike and I will also be able to complete an ambition of mine to run the London Marathon with my friend Gareth, receiving a place through BEN – The Automotive Charity. We’ve already started fundraising and are sitting at just over £7000 between us, just in case here’s a blatant plug for sponsorship > Tim’s London Marathon Sponsorship

I’ve been invited to speak at several Automotive Industry event’s through the year The Blend Conference, Schaeffler RepXpert Academy Live and Automechanika to name a few along with visiting and working with some brilliant companies and organisations in the Automotive Aftermarket to help provide a garage perspective on the industry. I was able to attend the F1 British Grand Prix in possibly the best seats on the circuit and a Palmersport Racing Day thanks to the LKQ Euro Car Parts and I had the opportunity to visit the HQ and some production facilities of Original Equipment supplier Schaeffler, finding out about their history, quality processes and production scale in Germany, along with Sinatec in the Netherlands to understand their concept for consumables and how this will work in the UK.

I want to finish by thanking our suppliers who have been integral to our business development and of course our amazing team, without them none of this would have been possible. Let’s look forward to 2024 and the opportunities it will bring – we’ll see you on the 2nd January!

Best wishes, Tim

#NotYourAverageGarage

WINNERS! Top Garage 2023

Monday 16th October 2023

We’re delighted to announce that we have WON Top Garage 2023!

We were finalists last year and after a challenging application, assessment, interview and judging process we have gone one step further and picked up the award.

Our category, which was 10+ employees, saw 10 finalists, the UKs best independent garages, battle it out on Saturday 14th October to compete for the title of winner of “Top Garage 2023”. The final part of the process of the Aftermarket Magazine National Competition included a timed assessment based on Health and Safety, a timed presentation (maximum 3 minutes) of the business and how it benefits the customers and then 45 minute interview by 2 industry judges.

Tim represented the Oldfields team on the day and was later joined for the awards by Paul & Cheryl (Mum & Dad) along with his wife Fliss and picked up the award in front of a room full of 300 of the best garages, industry experts and end event sponsors.

Tim said “Top Garage is a tough competition, it’s arguably the most prestigious awards on the calendar because it is independent of any national garage networks. After reaching the final last year, I was absolutely buzzing to be able to pick up this award on behalf of the team. It was amazing. Without their hard work, none of this would be possible. What made it extra special was for mum and dad to be there when we won. They started the Oldfields journey back in 1991 and laid the foundations for us to be able to do what we do now.” He added “I’ve been inundated with positive comments and good wishes from inspirational people far and wide in the UK automotive industry, our customers, friends and family as well.”

Oldfields Shortlisted for Community Engagement

Thursday 10th August 2023

We’re delighted to have been shortlisted for another awards final, this time for “Community Engagement” as part of the Independent Garage Association BIG Awards 2023. The Independent Garage Association BIG Awards recognising garages, industry suppliers and standout stars from the length and breadth of Britain. Award categories highlight all aspects of running a successful garage business, the BIG Awards have established a new gold standard for the independent garage sector.

Tim will be taking Owen, Oldfields apprentice, to the Awards Evening on September 22nd in Leicester. Tim said “I wanted to give Owen the chance to see what it’s like to mix with other people in the industry that are trying to be the best. These events are always great for socialising and networking on the business side, but hopefully can also create aspiration for the future!”

Owen added “It’s my first chance to go to a Garage Awards Ceremony, I don’t really know what to expect. It will be a good opportunity to see how other high end garages from all over the country do things.”

We didn’t win on this occasion, but congratulations to all the finalists and winners!

To see the full list of finalists or to find out more about the awards follow the link below!

IGA | The BIG Awards | IGA (independentgarageassociation.co.uk)

Pipped to the post in the Final

Thursday 15th June 2023

Tim and most of the team visited Automechanika UK in Birmingham last week, which is the UKs largest Automotive Aftermarket trade show. It was a brilliant few days out of the business that gave us the chance to meet suppliers, automotive experts and share experiences with other leading garages. The event was a huge success and we all got a lot from it.

On Wednesday 7th, Tim was invited by AllData, the leading provider of Manufacturer Technical Data, to join a panel of experts to discuss technical data from a business perspective (we’ll be writing a blog about that later). It was a great opportunity to share knowledge and learn from the other panalist’s. Then, on Wednesday evening, Tim, Katie and Chris put on their glad rags for the IAAF Awards where Oldfields were in the final shortlist for “Garage of the Year.” It was another great evening, even though we were pipped to the post for the win.

Tim said “After reaching the Final in Top Garage last year, we were hoping to go one better in these awards, but we were beaten by a great garage. Getting to the final is a real achievement for the team and all the other garages nominated. The winner was decided by votes and we have heard on good authority that we were close to the eventual winner.” He went on to add “Awards give us a great opportunity to see how we come up against the other leading UK independent garages. It’s the first major awards of the year and we’ll be looking for the elusive win in the other two we have been nominated for later in the Year.”