Perth’s Cameron Motor Group has reopened with a £6 million showroom after a fire destroyed much of the original site, forcing the business to operate from temporary facilities.
Jamie Cameron, director of Cameron Motor Group, said the fire which started in the parts department tore through the Volkswagen dealership on Dunkeld Road in October 2023.
The workshop and parts department were completely destroyed.
“The flames didn’t get over into the showroom, but contamination from an old asbestos roof in the parts department meant the whole site was contaminated,” he told The Courier, adding that water damage had also been significant.
Temporary showroom
Cameron Motor Group moved quickly to maintain its Volkswagen operations, setting up a temporary showroom on land normally used for used car sales on the opposite side of Dunkeld Road while plans were developed for a permanent replacement.
The Volkswagen site was completely demolished in summer 2024, and a 10-month build started last June completed last week. “It’s been an investment of around £6 million,” said Cameron.
Boutique showroom
The new Perth Volkswagen site has been designed around a more flexible, customer-led retail model, with a focus on presentation and handover experience to create a boutique showroom concept aligned with changing buying habits.
“The new showroom has six handover bays for customers to collect their new car or for us to bring a used car in out of the Scottish weather to let them see it in a better light,” said Cameron.
“It means you’ll never see the same cars twice in the showroom. We can move cars in and out quickly depending on what customers want to see or collect.
“It’s a boutique showroom with lounge areas, low level lighting and black roofing. We’re delighted with the results.”
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