Car giants Nissan have dealt a blow to a family-run firm after it decided to pull its dealership franchise after almost 30 years.

Lynfield Motors, of London Road, Witham, was told its contract was to be terminated by the Japanese company as part of a rethink about its business operations in the UK.

But the decision would not spell job losses. Jane Stanton Cole, managing director of the Witham dealers, said negotiations were under way with two tenants to take over the dealership site and its 16 staff.

She said Lynfield Motors would keep the remainder of its 50-strong workforce to run the other sides of its business, including the petrol forecourt and convenience store. The company recently secured a five-year contract with BP.

Mrs Stanton Cole said: "As one door closes another one opens - that's business. We can now concentrate on the other aspects of the firm.

"We are a family-run firm and we do care about all our staff, who are very loyal. We are looking forward to the tenants that are coming in and want to ensure the staff are happy and secure."

A spokesperson for Nissan said the companies had parted amicably. She said: "We are looking at our entire area approach and we don't really require a dealership in Witham."

Lynfield Motors was set up by Mrs Stanton Cole's parents, Maurice and Mickey Stanton, in 1957.

It started out as a transport cafe with a couple of petrol pumps and developed into a car dealership. Mr Stanton died in 1979, but his wife Mickey has continued to oversee the firm's development.

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