Ex-marine engineer falls into father’s footsteps with new Lincolnshire garage

This story is over

A former Marine Engineer is following his dream of continuing the family business nine months after retiring from the British Army.

Ian Gordon has taken over the South Ormsby Garage in the centre of the South Ormsby Estate.

Ian’s late father, Joe was a mechanic all his life and started Gordon’s Auto & Electrical Services in 1980.

Now re-launched under the name Gordon’s Autos, the family business has gone full circle as he has taken his own son, Thomas, under his wing as an apprentice.

Iain and Thomas hard at work at the garage.

Until he retired in April 2017, Ian used to repair landing craft for the British Army and was repairing cars as a hobby around his career.

Not content with retirement however, Ian is now able to pursue his dream professionally, having taken over the South Ormsby Garage in the centre of the historic South Ormsby Estate.

“It’s great that I can carry on the family trade with my first proper garage. This is something I’ve always wanted to do and I’m proud to be teaching my son, Thomas the same skills my father taught me.

Ian and Thomas have set up shop in the historic estate.

“The local community has been really welcoming and we’re already off to a great start as word of mouth spreads. I’m not the sort of person to sit back and relax in retirement – I see it as a chance to follow my dreams and do the things I’ve wanted to do for years.”

The South Ormsby Estate is currently undergoing a regeneration: As the historic hall and grounds are being restored, the estate’s team is helping new businesses to set up in the grounds.

Gordon’s Autos is the latest business to arrive on site and more companies are looking to set up on the estate in 2018.

The South Ormsby Estate is currently undergoing a regeneration

The estate team has helped Thomas enrol at Lincoln College so he can complement his engineering skills with a qualification in car repair.

The estate has also helped him to refurbish the garage, which has been serving the community for generations.

Community and Business Manager at South Ormsby Estate, Joe Blissett said: “Ian’s expertise and enthusiasm is inspiring and just the sort of thing we want to encourage on the estate.

“While it was a stately home for hundreds of years, this 3,000 acre estate was also a really important site for the local economy with people employed across a wide range of industries – and that’s the plan for the future here too. Ian’s garage has been really well received by customers.”