TOWN centre garage Kwik Fit has re-opened after a major refurbishment and is looking for apprentices.

The Mayor of Bolton, Cllr Elaine Sherrington cut the ribbon at the opening event at the Manchester Road unit last week.

She met the staff and saw the refurb from the garage floor up.

The centre was chosen for the significant investment from Kwik Fit’s UK network of more than 600 centres because of the commitment the staff have made in serving the local community, said a company spokesman.

It is also a sign of the company’s confidence in both the existing strength and potential demand in the area, he added.

Kwik Fit is taking on 200 apprentices across the company, including in Bolton. Any young people in Bolton who are interested in finding out more about the programme can visit: http://careers.kwik-fit.com/apprentice-application-form.asp.

Cllr Sherrington said: “The investment that Kwik Fit has put into the Bolton – Manchester Road centre is great news for Bolton and its motorists. It’s commendable that there’s an apprenticeship scheme in place to give young people a helping hand by creating jobs and giving them valuable career skills. I hope young people in Bolton will see the benefit and apply for the programme.”

The centre now has specialist laser wheel alignment equipment that allows a car’s four wheels to be aligned as per the manufacturer’s specification.

The reception area has been redesigned to promote a more welcoming and customer-friendly environment.

There is now room for Kwik Fit staff to sit down with each customer and discuss requirements.

The revamped centre will also continue to offer the full range of Kwik Fit services including tyres, exhausts, brakes, MoT testing, car servicing, air-con and windscreen repair.

Kwik Fit Bolton manager, Craig Redford, said: “It’s given the staff a real boost that our hard work has been recognised, and that our centre has been given major investment. All the team at the Bolton – Manchester Road branch take great pride in our work and now we have a working environment that matches our ambition to deliver the best possible service.

“It’s also good news for the community because we are now armed with top of the range equipment that will allow us to serve our customers even better than before. We are all really excited and can’t wait to get going.”

Established in 1971, the Kwik Fit Group is one of the largest independent automotive parts, repair and replacement specialists in the world. It has over 600 service centres across the UK and more than 200 mobile tyre fitting vehicles.

The refurbished centre can be found on Manchester Road, and the centre manager can be contacted on 01204 393559.