Family business J Petty Motors, based in Goole, East Yorkshire, was launched in 1958 by Jack Petty and is now in the hands of son Keith, grandson Stuart and his wife Sarah. The business began as a petrol station and motorbike shop before moving into vehicle repairs at its current premises in the late 1960s – a 200-year-old local historic building with parts Grade II listed.
We caught up with co-owner Sarah Petty and put some questions to her.
What services do you offer?
SP: We carry out MOTS, services, repairs, tyres, cambelts, diagnostics – to name just a few. The garage also offers EV servicing with Stuart having gained the additional EV qualification required. We pride ourselves on offering excellent customer service, workmanship and continuous training and development with one the UK’s prestigious motor trade academies. We supply and fit original equipment parts and only use high quality Castrol lubricants and have recently achieved a Castrol Certified Workshop accreditation. We also offer free collection and delivery within Goole and its surrounding areas and courtesy cars. Customers who visit us on site are assured of a warm welcome and free refreshments.
Who makes up J Petty Motors?
SP: The business now employs ten staff – five technicians including one apprentice, two MOT testers, two service advisors and one hospitality host. Each of the partners fulfils very different roles – Stuart undertakes most diagnostic work and oversees the tyres as well as running the business itself; Keith now takes a bit of a back seat carrying out motorbike MOTs as well as providing overall business input; and I take responsibility for the day-to-day business management.
Why do your customers choose J Petty Motors?
SP: Jack built the business on the ethos of trust and reliability and ‘doing the right thing’ by customers and we still embed that in our business today. We welcome back the same customers year after year and we look after generations of customers; they are very much a part of who we are and what makes our business tick.
How has your business expanded recently?
SP: Following the six-month MOT exemption during the pandemic and the ensuing backlog of work, the business thrived. The MOT extension changed business patterns in our favour. We became busy consistently and it’s stayed that way so that really helped us expand our business. I took a step back from front-of-house and focused my energies on developing and managing the business. It has been a whirlwind of a journey and required a huge amount of effort and input from Stuart and myself but now we are the busiest we have ever been.
What made you decide to partner with BookMyGarage?
SP: One of my first managerial decisions was signing up to BookMyGarage in the earliest days of the platform’s inception in 2016 and ten years later, the business wouldn’t be at the point it is now without it. At first, bookings were mainly from young people who were reluctant to pick up the phone preferring the online booking tool, but that soon changed. We now see a wide range of people utilising online bookings because BookMyGarage sets out everything so clearly on the website, so it is very easy for motorists to understand what they are booking and the cost.
How does the relationship with BookMyGarage bear fruit for your business?
SP: In 2025, I estimated that at least £10k of bookings came via our website online booking tool with a further £50k generated by the BookMyGarage platform so that’s around £60k of work that we’ve received from BookMyGarage last year and that’s without calculating the final invoice value as many of those would have booked additional work.
Do you have any advice for females considering an aftermarket career?
SP: I am a huge advocate for women taking up roles in the business. Our two service advisors are female; they are both professional and have extensive technical knowledge. We also employ a female apprentice in our workshop. It’s such a lovely place to work, I absolutely love being here. I would recommend the automotive sector to anyone. It’s amazing whether they’re interested in working with the cars themselves or front-of-house. I have huge respect for all women in this industry and one I am proud to be part of.
What does the future hold?
SP: The business’ future is looking bright and we expect to expand even further. We are currently debating whether to extend their current premises or to acquire a second site. We are, however, committed to safeguarding the building which is a focal point for Goole. The unusual two-storey site was originally stables and still has the rounded walls to make it easier for horses and carts to access whilst at one stage, it was also the town’s jail a grade II listed building). It’s a quirky building with so much history and we have been located here for the vast majority of our business’ 68 years, so we all feel a sense of responsibility for the premises. We are honoured to be its custodians and we are not planning on moving out but quite how we expand our business is something we continue to debate. Whichever way we decide to expand, our partnership with BookMyGarage will continue without question.
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