Portsmouth centre marks three decades of repairing cars

Kwik Fit served its first customer at its centre in London Road, North End on April 1, 1989. And motorists have seen significant changes since the centre launched.

Despite all new cars having seat belts fitted by 1972, in 1989 it was still only children and those in the front seats required to wear them. It was not until 1991 that seatbelts became compulsory.

1989 saw a record volume of new car sales, with the Society of Motoring Manufacturers and Traders reporting sales of over 2.3 million.

Scott Ayres, centre manager, said: ‘Much has changed in 30 years. We’re happy to have been serving Portsmouth since 1989. With developments in technology and the motoring industry in general, we are always investing in training and equipment to make sure that we can help motorists stay safe on the roads.

‘We hope to remain a fixture in the community for years to come.’