Two Grantham garages have been shortlisted as finalists for awards.
Bear and Bee Garage, in Ruston Road, and EU Linco, in Swingbridge Road, have been shortlisted as finalists within the CAT (Car Aftermarket Trader) awards.
EU Linco Grantham has been shortlisted for Factor Branch Team of the Year, and Bear and Bee Garage has been shortlisted Independent Garage of the Year, alongside proprietor Russ Holden who’s shortlisted for Rising Star of the Year.
Steve Eales, supervisor of EU Linco Grantham, mentioned it feels “good” to be listed as a finalist.
He added: “I think halfway through last year we started getting a bit more business.
“We’ve had more people wanting to use us more because of our prices.
“It would be excellent [to win the award]. I think we are one of the smaller factories in town and we have started to grow more.”
Russ Houlden, who’s nominated for 2 awards with Bear and Bee Garage, mentioned it will be a “total surprise” to win Independent Garage of the Year, as he solely opened in October final 12 months.
He added: “We are only just starting out and are nowhere near where we want to be.
“We are looking to make improvements and continue to move forward. It’s nice to be recognised for doing the right things.
“We aren’t for a second expecting to win this, there are some incredible garages in this award final, some very well established names in the industry.
“They may not mean a lot to you, but some of these garages are run by individuals who train the industry.”
On his nomination for Rising Star of the Year, Russ added: “Being nominated as a rising star feels a little bit like a mistake.
“People would coin it as imposter syndrome, but it is always a feeling of I could do more.
“I don’t know who has nominated me for this, nor do I know what they have said to get me to this point.
“I am thankful to them and appreciate the support.”
The different awards within the CAT Awards embody: Factor Chain of the Year, Training Scheme of the Year, Retailer of the Year, Environmental Award, Achievement Award, Supplier of the Year, Industry Partner of the Year and Garage Concept of the Year.
Anyone who needs to vote within the awards can achieve this at https://www.catmag.co.uk/article/cat-awards-2024-shortlist/.
The winners might be at an awards ceremony in Manchester on February 15.
