A FAMILY car sales business that has passed down through three generations during almost 90 years in Taunton has closed down.

But the grandson of the founder of Holcombe's Car Mart is taking over a fresh business moving onto the site at the bottom of East Reach.

Coming into Taunton from the eastern end of town, you couldn't help but spot Holcombe's straight ahead.

The business has sold quality used cars in the town to customers all over the country.

Somerset County Gazette:

After the business closed for the last time at the weekend, John Holcombe said: “We have had the privilege to serve many wonderful people, some being loyal to us for more than 50 years and have seen their families grow and have supplied cars to their children and grandchildren.”

John has now decided to call it a day and go on to other ventures he has been wanting to do for some time.

His younger brother Matthew will now be operating the site at East Reach.

Matthew has been a director of the Wellington Motor Group (Southwest Nissan) for over 20 years and has recently purchased the group.

John and his father Peter, who previously ran Holcombe's, feel Matthew has the wider skills within his group to tackle the complexities of the modern day motor car.

In a joint statement, John and Peter said: “We would like to sincerely thank all our customers, suppliers, service providers and friends for their loyalty and support over the many years and feel our founder Albert Holcombe, father and grandfather, would be pleased and proud that the Holcombe name would still be very much linked with the motor trade with the same ethics he started nearly 90 years ago.”