The related Chester Harley-Davidson and Manchester Harley-Davidson dealerships, along with Chester KTM, have ceased operations with immediate effect after their collapse into administration. All 30 staff have been made redundant. Kerry Bailey and Mark Thornton, of insolvency practitioners BDO, were appointed as joint administrators of the parent businesses, Brookbrough Trading Company and Brookbrough Holdings, on 2 February this year.
In a statement, BDO’s Kerry Bailey said: “Following a difficult trading period over the past 12 months, the directors had been exploring a sale. However, as this was not possible, they were left with no choice but to place the company into administration. The administrators will assist affected employees in relation to their statutory redundancy rights and will work to realise assets for the benefit of creditors.”
Dealer principal Kirk Herbert, well-known in motorcycle trade circles across the region, originally brought the Harley-Davidson name back to Manchester after the closure of a dealership in Stockport in 2011.