Free family fun day celebrating new Breeze Van Centre

Volkswagen Breeze hosted the public open day to show off its brand new custom-built van centre at the council owned 45-acre business development.

The day was filled with fun and activities for all including face painting, food and drink, Volkswagen van test drives, competitions and van workshop demonstrations.

The event was an opportunity for Breeze to officially open the council-built 13,000 sq ft facility and to celebrate creating new jobs after expanding its business having relocated to the council's prestigious parkland site.

Alan Brooks, head of business at Breeze Van Centre Portsmouth, said: ‘It’s been a fantastic day, we’re really pleased with the turnout. We were mobbed by the support we had. So many people enjoyed the workshops and all the family fun we had.

‘It was great to see the mayor Lee Mason here for the opening too. He was very interested in how we fix vans and was getting under the bonnet.’

Mr Brooks said people enjoyed looking at the wide range of vans on display. ‘People love all the vans we have because you can customise them. So we have people putting beds, fridges and kitchens, among other things, in them. They are unique because each van can be the same but one can be worth a lot more if it has had a lot done to it.’

After recruiting 15 people already, Mr Brooks also admitted the sky was the limit for the new centre, which now offers van sales as well as merely sales service. ‘We have the capacity for 10 workshops and only have six in use at the moment. Growth is limitless for us because we are not in a residential area which would allows us to extend our hours,’ he said.

Breeze has already forged partnerships with a number of organisations in the area. Mr Brooks added: ‘We are glad to let everyone know we are here and will look forward to growing.’  

Councillor Ben Dowling, cabinet member for regeneration, said: ‘We thought the community and Volkswagen enthusiasts should have a free opportunity to help us to welcome more first class tenants to our first class business park.

‘Dunsbury Park is a great use of council owned land to bring in money to help fund the services that matter most to people and to boost jobs and the economy.’

The new centre features 10 workshop ramps, including a VOSA accredited MOT testing area for class four and seven commercial vehicles, and a forecourt display for more than 60 Volkswagen DasWelt Auto used vehicles.

Visitors were also able to find out more about a new van rental scheme Breeze is launching in February and meet partner CoTrim to discuss conversion needs.