A FAMILY run Capel Hendre garage has been recognised as the best independent garage across the entire UK.

Revs Motors, in Capel Hendre Industrial Estate, was presented with the award for UK Independent Garage of the Year at the 2018 Motor Trader Industry Awards last week.

The garage, run by Phil and Tracey Lewis, was highly commended in the same category last year, but managed to take home the top prize this time round during a glittering ceremony held in London on Wednesday.

The pair met star of Outnumbered and Mock the Week, Hugh Dennis, who handed out the awards at the ceremony.

And Tracey said it came as quite a shock when they found out they had won.

She said: “It was definitely a bit of a surprise when we heard our name read out and realised we had won because of the standard of the competition from the other businesses we were up against.

“You are talking about the best garages across Britain.”

It was a long process to get to the finals of the award.

A judging panel from Motor Trader trawled through Revs’ business history and sent around mystery shoppers, before sending a judge to Capel Hendre to speak to Tracey and Phil and have a look at Revs Motors itself.

“I think what really impressed the judges was that we are a member of the ‘FOXY Lady Drivers Club’ so are a female friendly garage, and also have been awarded ‘Which? Trusted Trader’ status,” explained Tracey.

The award represents another marker of success for the garage, which has gone from strength to strength in the last few years.

It was set up by Phil in 2010 in Gorslas, but after a year the business had to move premises or face closure.

“We had three mechanics working with us at that point who would have lost their jobs had we closed, so we were determined to find somewhere new and moved in to Capel Hendre Industrial Estate in January 2012.

“It isn’t the best location for visibility, so we rely a lot on word of mouth and I think that is quite heartening in one way to see that people are so pleased with the work we do that they are recommending us to friends and family.

“Phil has always been in the motor trade, and myself and the children have become more involved as time has gone along.

When the children aren’t at university they come down and help out, it is a proper family business.”

For more information about the services Revs Motors offer, visit revsmotors.co.uk, facebook.com/RevsMotors, or call 01269 268161.