• New Cars
    • First Impressions
    • Road Tests
  • Classics
    • Classic Profiles
    • Classic Driving Impressions
    • Classics Information
    • Events and Days Out
  • Motoring For Fun
  • News & Views
  • Bookshelf
  • Technical
    • Grumpy Old Mechanic
    • Kim’s Tips
  • Features
    • Visits
    • Track Days
  • Contributors
    • About our contributors
    • Kim Henson
    • Chris Adamson
    • Kieron Fennelly
    • Ant Henson
    • Rachel Henson
    • David Miles
    • Gerald Morgan
    • Dave Moss
    • Dave Randle
    • Robin Roberts
    • Tom Scanlan
    • Glen Smale
    • Jeremy Walton
    • Keith Ward
    • John Price Williams
  • More…
    • About Wheels Alive
    • Tips for using this website
    • Useful Links

Wheels Alive

Old cars, new cars, borrowed cars & blue cars. If it steers it's here!

Old cars, new cars, borrowed cars & blue cars. If it steers it's here!

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.

To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy

News – Poole Accident Repair wins major award

5th October 2017

Photo, above, left to right: Mark Hadaway Bodyshop Magazine Editor, Leon Coupland (PAR director), Brian Singer (PAR) Frank Delany of award sponsors AkzoNobel and celebrity guest Alex Horne.

Poole Accident Repair Embodies Success…

Poole-based prestige Vehicle Body Repairer, Poole Accident Repair, has won the coveted Large Bodyshop of the Year Award at the 21st Bodyshop Magazine Awards held at the Hilton Metropole Birmingham.

The achievement follows the recent development of Poole Accident Repair’s new 8,000 sq ft. workshop – one of only a limited number of multi material specialist facilities in the country, adding to its existing 10,000 sq ft. capability.

Mark Hadaway, editor of Bodyshop magazine said: “The Bodyshop Awards are the only truly independent awards for our industry and, as such, all the awards are highly desirable.

An expert panel follows an exhaustive and in-depth process of selection to identify the winners and it’s our privilege to recognise those who have achieved something truly special in the last 12 months.

This year the magazine itself celebrates its 30th anniversary, and with such an incredibly high standard of entrants, Poole Accident Repair should be exceptionally proud of its success in the AkzoNobel Coatings Large Bodyshop of the Year.”

Further to this, Sam O’Shea, 23, who has worked at the prestige repair centre since he left school in 2010, was a finalist in the Bodyshop GT Mo Estimate Panel Technician of the Year.

Sam, who started out on a Volkswagen Apprentice Programme, was competing against other Panel Technicians, some of whom had been in the business for over 25 years.

Sam is one of the youngest Panel Technicians in the country and Leon Coupland, Director of Poole Accident Repair said: “It was no surprise that Sam made it this far, from starting his apprenticeship Sam has developed and grown from strength to strength.

His work of course contributing to the award that Poole Accident Repair achieved in its own category, the successes of the company are truly a team effort and a reflection of the exacting standards that are applied to every department and stage of our customers’ vehicle repairs.”

Poole Accident Repair was established in 2004 and housed one of the first aluminium-enclosed cabin in the UK, and following a refurbishment of the 10,000 sq ft. site in 2015 and the launch of the multi material facility earlier this year it is one of the most advanced and capable facilities in the country in terms of body work and repairs to an enviable list of prestige marques.

Save Post as PDF

Categories: News & Views

Tip: For improved search accuracy, enclose search terms for multiple words in quotation marks. For example:
"Land Rover".

Advertise with us

Recent Posts

Klassikstadt – a motoring mecca in Frankfurt, well worth a visit if you are in Germany

Government’s Road Safety Strategy soon to arrive… meanwhile here’s a close look at Cambridgeshire’s most dangerous roads

Introduction to the Wheels-Alive analysis of results from the DVLA/DfT ‘call for evidence’ on classic, kit built and radically altered vehicles, and those converted to electric power.

British Motor Museum shortlised for a Green Spark Award

Enjoy sounds, science and sustainability at The British Motor Museum this half-term, October 2025

Motor Ombudsman study finds that AI would steer nearly one in five drivers when choosing their next car

Toyota’s fascinating history – notably concentrating on the enduringly popular Corona model, which arrived in Britain exactly 60 years ago, on 1st October 1965

Kia Sportage MY26 – First Impressions

Contributors

contributors

Our well-respected contributors live and breathe motor cars; aren’t we lucky?

Contributors to the site include talented, highly-respected people (so they tell me) on the hallowed membership list of the Guild of Motoring Writers, and from the similarly well thought-of Western Group of Motoring Writers. In addition there are valued contributions from other knowledgeable and capable motoring writers who have something useful to say about all aspects of driving and running vehicles in the 21st Century. All of our team are passionate about motor cars!


Read about our contributors  ››

Tags

road test EV National Motor Museum PHEV plug-in hybrid five door hatchback Seven seater SUV The Motor Ombudsman Hybrid crossover Electric Beaulieu First Impressions City car MPV Kia hatchback Coupé 4x4 saloon luxury SUV estate SUV all-electric Suzuki large SUV British Motor Museum Estate car Compact SUV Tyres

All Tags ››

Like us on Facebook

Like us on Facebook

Wheels Alive Social

  • E-mail
  • Facebook
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Please share our website

Contact us

We welcome your questions, comments and feedback. Please click here to contact us.

Advertising Opportunities

Please contact us if you would like to discuss advertising opportunities on Wheels Alive.

Copyright © 2025 Kim Henson, Wheels Alive