Arnold Clark
Encyclopedia
Sir Arnold Clark is one of the wealthiest businessmen in Scotland
, ranked 10th in the Sunday Times Rich List 2005
for Scotland.
,in 1927,Clark joined the Royal Air Force
aged 17. Rising through the ranks as he was educated, Clark became a Corporal and a Motor Mechanics Instructor.
After leaving the RAF in the early 1950s, he got a job in a bar and saved up his money until Clark was able to purchase a Morris Ten-Four for £70, and after restoring it sold it for a profit.
's Park Road
. After gaining his first retail franchise for Morris
in 1959, expansion continued with the purchase of existing sites and rivals in and around the Glasgow area.
Arnold Clark Automobiles is now Scotland's largest car dealership
, with over 145 new and used car dealerships spread throughout Great Britain
. The company sells over 200,000 cars per year, employs 7,500 people, and has an annual turnover of over £2.2 billion, involved in:
Arnold Clark currently has an impressive portfolio of 20 new car franchises and the company is set to continue its strategy of acquisition, expansion and investment in the community and economy via job creation and training.
We have an unrivalled collection of new cars, nearly new cars, used cars and motability cars at all our UK dealerships.
In 2003 Clark was knighted
for services to the motor industry and for his community work in Scotland.
The 61000 sq ft (5,667.1 m²) centre is split into two dedicated sections; the fully operational transport division caters for every aspect in automotive training whilst the IT and business skills division provides a broad range of business skill training courses and a superb conference area.
of the band Duran Duran
and finished third (line honours) in the 1985/6 Whitbread Round The World Race (now the Volvo Ocean Race
), a not inconsiderable feat considering her keel loss and capsize in the 1985 Fastnet Race
just weeks before the Whitbread start.
Drum now plies the River Clyde
during the summer months on a busy corporate entertainment schedule. Additionally, Drum is often used for charity work and to date, has raised in excess of £1million. Clark has loaned the yacht to numerous organisations and regularly offers exclusive sailing packages as auction and raffle prizes. In the spring of 2007 a £250,000 refit was completed on Drum.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, ranked 10th in the Sunday Times Rich List 2005
Sunday Times Rich List
The Sunday Times Rich List is a list of the 1,000 wealthiest people or families in the United Kingdom, updated annually in April and published as a magazine supplement by British national Sunday newspaper The Sunday Times since 1989...
for Scotland.
Biography
Born in GlasgowGlasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
,in 1927,Clark joined the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
aged 17. Rising through the ranks as he was educated, Clark became a Corporal and a Motor Mechanics Instructor.
After leaving the RAF in the early 1950s, he got a job in a bar and saved up his money until Clark was able to purchase a Morris Ten-Four for £70, and after restoring it sold it for a profit.
Arnold Clark Automobiles
Clark started buying and selling other cars, and opened his first showroom in 1954 in GlasgowGlasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
's Park Road
Park Road
Park Road may refer to:* Park Road, Loughborough, a cricket Ground in Loughborough, Leicestershire, England* Park Road railway station, Brisbane, a railway station in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia...
. After gaining his first retail franchise for Morris
Morris Motor Company
The Morris Motor Company was a British car manufacturing company. After the incorporation of the company into larger corporations, the Morris name remained in use as a marque until 1984 when British Leyland's Austin Rover Group decided to concentrate on the more popular Austin marque...
in 1959, expansion continued with the purchase of existing sites and rivals in and around the Glasgow area.
Arnold Clark Automobiles is now Scotland's largest car dealership
Car dealership
A car dealership or vehicle local distribution is a business that sells new or used cars at the retail level, based on a dealership contract with an automaker or its sales subsidiary. It employs automobile salespeople to do the selling...
, with over 145 new and used car dealerships spread throughout Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
. The company sells over 200,000 cars per year, employs 7,500 people, and has an annual turnover of over £2.2 billion, involved in:
- Servicing & Repairs
- Parts & Accessories
- Accident Repairs
- Car & Van Rental
- Car, Home & Travel Insurance
Arnold Clark currently has an impressive portfolio of 20 new car franchises and the company is set to continue its strategy of acquisition, expansion and investment in the community and economy via job creation and training.
- Vauxhall
- Ford
- Toyota
- Volkswagen
- Seat
- Nissan
- Citroën
- Fiat
- Renualt
- Honda
- Hyundai
- Volvo
- Mazda
- Kia
- Skoda
- Chevrolet
- Chrysler
- Jeep
- BMW (Harry Fairbairn)
- Mini (Harry Fairbairn)
We have an unrivalled collection of new cars, nearly new cars, used cars and motability cars at all our UK dealerships.
In 2003 Clark was knighted
Knight Bachelor
The rank of Knight Bachelor is a part of the British honours system. It is the most basic rank of a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not as a member of one of the organised Orders of Chivalry...
for services to the motor industry and for his community work in Scotland.
GTG
The new £10 million state of the art custom built conference centre, GTG Training, is officially opened on the regenerated Clydeside area of Glasgow.The 61000 sq ft (5,667.1 m²) centre is split into two dedicated sections; the fully operational transport division caters for every aspect in automotive training whilst the IT and business skills division provides a broad range of business skill training courses and a superb conference area.
Drum - the world famous racing yacht
Aside from his motor interests, Clark can often be found yachting on his yacht, Drum. Drum, was originally owned by Simon Le BonSimon Le Bon
Simon John Charles Le Bon is an English musician, best known as the lead singer, lyricist and musician of the band Duran Duran and its offshoot, Arcadia.-Early life:...
of the band Duran Duran
Duran Duran
Duran Duran are an English band, formed in Birmingham in 1978. They were one of the most successful bands of the 1980s and a leading band in the MTV-driven "Second British Invasion" of the United States...
and finished third (line honours) in the 1985/6 Whitbread Round The World Race (now the Volvo Ocean Race
Volvo Ocean Race
The Volvo Ocean Race is a yacht race around the world, held every three years. It is named after its current owner, Volvo...
), a not inconsiderable feat considering her keel loss and capsize in the 1985 Fastnet Race
Fastnet race
The Fastnet Race is a famous offshore yachting race. It is considered one of the classic offshore races. It takes place every two years over a course of . The race starts off Cowes on the Isle of Wight in England, rounds the Fastnet Rock off the southwest coast of Ireland and then finishes at...
just weeks before the Whitbread start.
Drum now plies the River Clyde
River Clyde
The River Clyde is a major river in Scotland. It is the ninth longest river in the United Kingdom, and the third longest in Scotland. Flowing through the major city of Glasgow, it was an important river for shipbuilding and trade in the British Empire....
during the summer months on a busy corporate entertainment schedule. Additionally, Drum is often used for charity work and to date, has raised in excess of £1million. Clark has loaned the yacht to numerous organisations and regularly offers exclusive sailing packages as auction and raffle prizes. In the spring of 2007 a £250,000 refit was completed on Drum.