New lease of life confirmed for Shifnal's former Patons garage

Standing in the heart of the town, the former dealership, itself developed from an old Methodist church, has been largely empty since the long-standing Patons business closed its doors during the early days of Covid.

In the years since, the site has gradually become something of a local landmark for all the wrong reasons.

With the forecourt standing empty and the buildings unused, Shifnal’s pigeon population has taken full advantage of the vacant site.

But renovation work on the building is well under way, with the building receiving fresh fascias and a new coat of paint.

The activity has attracted plenty of attention from local residents, along with the inevitable wave of speculation on social media.

Online suggestions have ranged from a tongue-in-cheek image of the town’s third Co-op, to the arrival of Greggs, while one rumour even suggested the site could become offices complete with a showroom full of caskets for a bereavement company.

The rumours appear to have missed the mark with the confirmation that the local garage MJR Minimatt is taking over the site.

The business is currently operating from the Old Bus Depot beside the railway sidings in the town, and is preparing to relocate to the town centre premises.

The independent BMW and MINI specialist, run by Matt Pike, has been based at the Old Bus Depot since 2010, having previously operated from premises on the Lamledge Lane Industrial Estate.

Matt’s career in the motor trade started when he was just 14 years old, working as an apprentice at Auto Mechanicals. From there, he was offered a position at the Bentley factory in Crewe, where he became part of an engine development team.

He explained that the experience gave him an in-depth understanding of combustion engines - but that BMWs had already been a long-standing passion.

When MINI became part of the BMW Group and the first generation of the modern Mini was launched in 2001, Matt’s interest in the brand grew further.

It eventually led him to establish his own workshop on Lamledge Lane, concentrating specifically on BMW and MINI vehicles.

The business said it has reached the point where its existing Old Bus Depot premises are becoming increasingly restrictive.

While the current workshop could benefit from expansion and modernisation, carrying out major improvements around a busy working garage is far from straightforward, particularly when customers are already waiting weeks for appointments.

The firm said the move to Patons will provide significantly more space while also allowing the business to broaden the services it offers to the local community.

MJR Minimatt will continue its specialist work on BMW and MINI vehicles, while the new premises are also expected to cater for everyday maintenance and repairs on other makes and models, including servicing, brakes, tyres, air-conditioning work and MOT repairs.

The final name of the new garage has not yet been confirmed.

Plans for the site include making use of the former dealership showroom to display vehicles for sale, while the workshop will provide servicing and repair facilities for local motorists.

Matt said: “I always liked the building and location of Patons garage. It will be nice to make it a good little garage and have it done up properly, so I am quite excited about that.”

He added: “We do have a lot of nice cars for sale which would benefit from being showcased in a proper showroom. For us, it has always been about space and location.

“We have struggled for space for quite a while now, so the former Patons garage is the best option for us locally.

“Also, the location, right in the heart of the village with all the local amenities within reach of customers waiting for their vehicles to be serviced or repaired, I think is a massive thing.”