Stratstone now closed on a Sunday

I've already posted this over at Disco3.co.uk but thought it bore repetition here to see if anybody else has a view.

From an Evoque based perspective I find it amazing that LRs flagship/most prevalent dealer network is not able to show a product where both demand and potential conversion from other brands are extremely high on one of the busiest car browsing days of the week

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Mrs RSK and I went out a couple of weekends ago to have a nosey at a 2012 D4 and an Evoque. To my amazement our local Stratstone (Newport Pagnell) was bolted barred and very much closed. A quick Google revealed that all Stratstone LR dealerships nationally are now closed on a Sunday.

I have to say I found this incredible, don't most people do their car browsing (which of course ultimately what leads to buying) at a weekend ? On top of this with a model such as the Evoque which has drummed up such interest from non-LR owners wouldn't weekends expect to be increasingly busy with new folks looking to acquaint themselves with the brand ?

I know that things are/have been tough at Pendragon and that costs need to be cut but this strikes me as an almighty own goal which further adds to the corporate ineptitude already shown by this business in recent years.

It does seem strange. I have used the same National dealer and although their own website stated that they were closed on Sundays, I actually managed to speak with someone. I'm not sure what's going on.

I went over to stratstones Mayfair on Sunday. I've ordered from lookers Battersea but they don't have a car with Spirit interior on display and SWMBO wanted to see it, so we thought we'd give Mayfair a go. It was shut, I was really bemused... As the OP states, surely Sunday is the prime day to be open??

Maybe the cost of opening up a showroom on a Sunday (thus having to give sales staff an alternative working day off work in compensation when more sales may be made) is not justified by the amount of potential business. There are quite a few dealers that close on a Sunday but are often opened until quite late during the week. I realise that they may loose sales but if the opening costs aren't justified then why waste the money. Our local BMW and Audi outlets both close on a Sunday even though they are on a "motor park" along with 5 other marques outlets

No doubt there'll be some maths which support their decision but I doubt very much they're as linear as you outline Tim. Given that Pendragon Group has been in financial distress I suspect it might have more to do with cutting costs and the fact that Sundays may trigger time and half/double time or similar payments.

This is very unscientific I appreciate but every new car i have bought has started off with a dealership visit on a weekend day meaning that in my sample of one being open and accessible on weekend leads directly to sales.

Big dealer - Stratstones in Slough on the main A4 completely closed up today. Bollards even stopped anyone pulling in and having a look. Completely mad!