Ullswater Road Garage in Penrith has become the 65th MG sales dealership in the UK.

Thirty five years ago Mark Windle opened the business as a body repairer, then included a 24-hour body repair operation.

Windle, managing director, said: “With the recovery business going flat out we started to branch out and bought land to expand our operations. We now have a business site covering four acres just off the M6 in Penrith and we have another site 27 miles down the motorway in Kendal."

As well as car showrooms and work bays, the Penrith site houses the Cumbria Mini Centre, selling Minis and customised parts; retail units, a car hire business and the breakdown operation as well as a leased out restaurant, petrol forecourt and convenience store.

Ullswater Road Garage employs 40 people and the MG business has created a new post – the firm is now searching for an MG sales specialist and Windle has plans to expand the MG business.

He has already invested in a new dedicated showroom at their Ullswater Road site and have planned a summer programme of events, starting on Saturday by taking new MGs to the Skelton Horticultural Show.

"As soon as people knew we had won the MG franchise we started to get enquiries, and that was before we had cars or MG signage. So it just shows you the huge support and passion there is for MG.

Matthew Cheyne, MG's head of sales and marketing, said: “Mark's drive and ambition is matched by ours and we welcome Ullswater Road Garage to our rapidly expanding dealer network.

"Last year MG was the fastest growing brand in Britain and our sales, so far this year, are way ahead of last year. As more people take test drives, they realise what great products we have with the MG3 and the new MG6."