The new year will bring a new car dealership to town at an old John Lewis site.

Hendy is to open its latest car showrooms at Kingstanding Way in Tunbridge Wells.

The site, off the A21, will sell and service new and used Ford, Mazda and Kia cars as well as Ford commercial vehicles.

The showrooms represent a £6m investment by the independent motor retail group bringing its total number of sites to 68, with four in Kent.

The brownfield site, which was formerly occupied by John Lewis, has been vacant since April 2021.

The new dealership will have room for eight display vehicles per brand inside as well as a separate service reception and waiting area for each of the three main vehicle brands.

Outside, Hendy will display more than 60 used cars and commercial vehicles, with 32 standard and 10 disabled parking spaces for visitors.

The site’s workshop will feature 15 service bays along with two dedicated MOT stations.

January’s site launch will coincide with the closure of the Hendy showroom at Mount Ephraim in Tunbridge Wells, which has been acquired by a third party for future development.

All existing Hendy staff at Mount Ephraim are being transferred, and the business is also looking to increase the total headcount at Kingstanding Way by recruiting for a wide range of roles, including apprentice technicians, apprentice sales and sales advisors.

Paul Hendy is the chief executive at Hendy Group. He said: “This launch represents a huge vote of confidence by Hendy Group in the capabilities of our Kent-based team and in the strong commercial potential we see in the Tunbridge Wells area.

“While we are sad to leave Mount Ephraim, it’s been great to see the transformation of the nearby site on Kingstanding Way and we are excited to welcome thousands more customers who will be able to choose from a wider range of new and used vehicles and make the most of our new facilities.

“This latest opening underlines our long-term commitment to Kent, and we look forward to further building our presence as a leading employer in the local area through the creation of new opportunities.”

News of the expansion comes as the Tonbridge branch of Hendy’s sponsors this year’s kmfm’s Give a Gift Christmas campaign.

For the second year running, the Kent radio station has encouraged listeners and businesses to donate gifts to bring joy to children and young people across the county who are facing challenging times over the festive season.

Last year, the campaign resulted in more than 14,000 gifts being donated for children in hospitals, care homes or difficult domestic situations.

Besides sponsoring the campaign, Hendy’s Will Figg, the assistant sales manager at the Vauxhall and Peugeot dealership, joined the kmfm team to help deliver the gifts.

The Hendy Group was established in 1859. Paul Hendy is the fifth generation of the family-owners.

The business employs more than 1,700 people and has a turnover of just over £1bn.

The Kent branches are at Avebury Avenue and Five Oak Green Road in Tonbridge and at Langton Road in Tunbridge Wells.