TVR abandons UK production
TVR is to move its production facility to Europe and shut its Blackpool factory
Despite repeated reassurances that it’s essential for the character of TVRs that they are built in Britain, the company’s boss, Nikolai Smolenski, has announced that the cars will now be produced elsewhere in Europe, leading to the loss of the entire workforce at the current Blackpool factory.
In an interview with evo earlier this year, the young Russian insisted that although he had considered making TVRs outside of the UK, overseas buyers expected their British sports cars to be built in Britain; he also claimed that there was little fiscal advantage in manufacturing the cars elsewhere.
Back in April the company shed around 70 staff due to negligible demand for its cars over the winter, but by the middle of the year a more confident TVR announced plans to move to a new purpose built factory on a Blackpool business park, with administrative offices in Lancaster. What has caused the collapse of these plans and the volte-face over UK production is unclear at this time.
Also uncertain for the time being is whereabouts in Europe TVR production is headed, although the eastern states with their low labour rates would seem a safe bet. While regretting the need to move from the UK and the consequent job losses, TVR’s press release also stated: ‘We shall be making further announcements in due course about our plans which we believe represent a major advance for the proud name of TVR.’
