Auction set to rake in a fortune

The two-day auction on March 2 and 3 is as a result of a re-organisation at the firm - Yorkshire’s largest independent ground care machinery company - which is quitting the domestic garden machinery business and re-structuring its commercial ground care and agricultural machinery operation.

Launched in 1998, the group’s grass care machinery arm became the most successful family-owned business of its type in the region, supplying mowers, compact tractors and other equipment to league football grounds, sports clubs and golf courses.

Paul Cooper, of industrial auctioneers CJM Asset Management, which is organising next week’s auction, said: “The decision to re-structure has been taken because of the massive changes in the market as internet suppliers working on high volume sales at wafer-thin margins have become dominant.

“The auction extends to over a thousand lots and will see a huge range of kit going under the hammer, from domestic mowers and machinery to professional ground care equipment. Fifty per cent is brand new, 25 per cent is ex-demo and 25 per cent is spares, parts and workshop machinery.

“The most high value single lot is a 26-tonne plant wagon that was used for transporting machinery. That’s expected to make around £30,000.

“The auction is attracting a lot of interest. People began registering as bidders within a few hours of the catalogue being posted online and we have had enquiries from across the country.”