Vertu Motors has opened Infiniti Centre Newcastle, which is the 10th Infiniti centre in the UK and the first in the North East.

The new centre, located at Silverlink Retail Park in Newcastle, covers the areas of Tyne and Wear, County Durham and Teesside.

The dealership is a renovation of a former Honda site (acquired along with three Springfield Motor Group dealerships) and is designed to have the look and feel of a five-star hotel, with staff acting as 'brand ambassadors'. Jeff Aynsley is general manager of Infiniti Centre Newcastle.

Robert Forrester, chief executive of Gateshead-based Vertu Motors, said: "Customers will see a completely unique and exciting design concept within the dealership with the Vertu Motors ethos of excellent customer service paramount.

"Next year, the Infiniti Q30 will be manufactured just down the road in Sunderland, meaning we will have another car brand both produced and sold in the region, which is fantastic news for the North East.