AN INDEPEDENT Hereford business is celebrating 50 years of keeping the county's drivers on the road.

Hereford Tyres has celebrated 50 years of business, giving staff a chance to take stock of the store's success.

Since it opened in November 1968, the business has had only three owners and is now led by James Lauchlan.

James, who moved to Herefordshire in 2006, said: "I had been a customer since we moved here, and like the old ad said, ‘I liked it so much I bought the Company’.”

Since taking over the reins of the Vaughan Street business, James has seen the company grow from strength to the strength.

He explained: "We have now had a long association with Michelin, and were the first independent tyre dealer in the UK to be officially awarded Michelin certification. We still ensure that our standards, both technically and in customer service, have been maintained, and that’s something we can be very proud of.”

Although based in Hereford, the company works all over the county as Hereford Tyres supply tyres wholesale to garages across the region. Vans deliver tyres six days a week to garages in the city and to more remote garages around the county.

James explained that the key to the business' success lies in the quality of service customers receive, such as providing free tea and coffee to customers while they wait.

He added: “We pride ourselves on our high levels of customer care – we want customers to be happy that they have been given the best possible advice and we never try to sell them anything they don’t need."