BUSINESS has motored along nicely at one of Hereford’s most enduring enterprises.

But as work progresses on the city link road, this week marks the end of the road for Phil Powell Car Sales and the laugh-a-minute partnership between Phil Powell and Roddy Hankins, whose livelihood comes to an end tomorrow (Friday) thanks to a compulsory purchase order.

The two self-confessed ‘football freaks’, who have sold thousands of cars to satisfied punters over the years, have endeared themselves to generations of customers, and to those just wanting to chew the fat in the hallowed hut on the car lot. They can talk for England on matters of football – Phil was a player-manager at Westfields’ club – and debate on “everything from Brexit to Trump”. When the last car leaves the premises, the ‘office’ will be shifted to a builders’ yard, and the new road linking Edgar Street and Aylestone Hill will swallow up nearly 40 years of dealing.

“It’s the hardest thing I’ve had to do since bearing my parents,” said 62-year-old Phil, who had planned on running his business until he was 70. “I don’t want to retire, but I’ll never get a site like this in town again.” The car lot, the latest casualty of the new road as part of the Edgar Street Grid, has been trading for over 38 years.

“I’ve been living on a knife edge for the past six years,” said Phil, who initially set up the business with former partner, Mark Harding. Exactly 25 years ago, 63-year-old Roddy “hopped over the fence” from the Vauxhall dealership where he was working and joined Phil Powell Car Sales. “I was a puppy then, I’ve done longer than Ronnie Biggs now!” he joked.

When Phil left Ravenhills’ to set up the enterprise, the modest car lot offered a Morris 1000 and a Fiesta. The business went on to sell 300 cars per year, building a reputation for reliability, and the promise of some good ‘craic’ over a cup of tea in the hut.

Phil and Roddy have little enthusiasm for the planned 800 houses on the former Merton Meadow car park behind the business. “This area floods,” said Phil, pointing to a watermark on the wall of the hut. “We’ve seen a foot of water in here at times, so what’s going to happen with all these new houses?”

They also fear for the increased traffic in this area. “This is going to mean 1,200 more cars,” said Roddy.

When traffic has been grid-locked in Widemarsh Street, he has been known to grab a bucket and a sponge to clean windscreens. “I did it for a laugh, but one woman asked how much she owed me!” he said. “We’ve seen everything,” said Roddy, a well-known DJ in Hereford and around the county who is widely recognised for his charity work. “When we started, cars didn’t have radios, now people are more interested in whether the cars have Bluetooth.”

Once, they sold a custom-made Fiesta with no door handles – access only gained via a button underneath the car. Roddy took the motor out for a test drive, but the battery went flat.

“I was stuck on the roundabout by Widemarsh Common!” he said.

The two men are fondly seen as local treasures. Motorists sound the horn and wave as they pass, and in the past police officers would drop in for a cup of tea and a chat. Once, a drug-related investigation required use of Phil and Roddy’s parked cars for an overnight surveillance mission. Over the years, the business has also been strongly recommended on grounds of trust and reliability to SAS service personnel.

“It’s only just beginning to hit me,” said Phil. “I am losing my business and my way of life. It’s a huge culture shock.”

Right now, the future for both men is uncertain. Yet there is a chance that the wheels will once again be in motion for Phil Powell and Roddy Hankins.