WGM RELINQUISHES DEERE PROFESSIONAL PRODUCTS

John Deere dealer Winchester Garden Machinery Ltd has decided to relinquish its professional golf & turf business at the end of October 2018, while retaining Deere’s full homeowner equipment franchise.

Neighbouring dealers Farol Ltd and Hunt Forest Group will share WGM’s existing professional sales area of responsibility, with Farol’s Midhurst outlet covering West Sussex and Surrey and Hunt Forest Group at Chilbolton taking on Hampshire.

WGM has been supplying and maintaining garden and commercial grass care machinery since 1969. It will continue to trade as a main Deere homeowner dealer, specialising in walk-behind mowers and lawn tractors, from its three domestic machinery sales locations at Winchester and Liss in Hampshire and Sunningdale in Surrey. 

“After over 20 years of supplying and supporting the professional golf & turf sector, Winchester Garden Machinery Ltd has taken the decision to relinquish the franchise for this side of John Deere’s business,” says WGM dealer principal Andrew Hoskings, the company’s owner and co-founder with industry stalwart Robin Nettle, who sadly died of cancer earlier this year. “This decision has not been taken lightly, and with the growth in other sectors of our business - domestic, forestry and commercial - we will continue to be strong trading partners with John Deere on homeowner equipment.

“We will continue to support Deere’s professional machinery with warranty within the valid dates and undertake service work as required.”

Farol will now manage a total of six Deere agricultural and turf dealerships from the Midlands down through London to the south-coast of England.

R Hunt Ltd and New Forest Farm Machinery Ltd recently signed an agreement to merge their two businesses under the new name Hunt Forest Group from January 1, 2019. R Hunt currently runs four outlets covering Wiltshire, Hampshire, Berkshire, Surrey and the Isle of Wight. New Forest Farm Machinery trades from two outlets in Hampshire and Somerset.