Salisbury-based Foray Motor Group has acquired Hine Motors, a Ford site based in Shaftesbury, Dorset.

The group was created through a management buy-out of a privately-run business, Edwards Ford, in Salisbury and has since expanded to include Dorchester Ford and English Ford – both bought from Pendragon.

Chris Yoxon, Foray group managing director, said: “Foray now operates dedicated Ford outlets in Andover, Salisbury, Taunton, Yeovil, Dorchester, Poole and Shaftesbury as well as a Ford service centre in Chard.

“After taking two dealerships from such a major group as Pendragon I still see it as logical to buy a privately-run outlet in Shaftesbury which has been performing strongly for around 30 years, first under the guidance of its founder Gordon Hine and then by its subsequent owner, Roger Booth, who wanted to retire.”

Foray has now  taken on 13 news sales staff across the group.

Foray Group sales manager Tom Croft said some people might view it as brave to expand in terms of both dealerships and sales staff as the scrappage incentive ends but both moves made “sound business sense”.

Croft said: “The Shaftesbury community is very loyal to its local businesses and Hine Motors has a great customer base we are happy to serve.

“Hine is a strong business and we can develop it still more using our group facilities to offer local buyers a wider choice from our new and used stock.

“They will still have contact with the original team, although we will be adding to it. We will also be offering more light commercials than Hine Motors has in the past.”