SERVICE DEALER'S MOST READ STORIES OF 2020

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Throughout the tumultuous year that was 2020, the Service Dealer Weekly Update arrived in the inboxes of our dealer subscribers every Friday as close to noon as possible, featuring all the news and developments relevant to the UK independent dealer network.

As has a become somewhat of a tradition, in the first Update back after the new year we like to look back to see which stories caught the interest of our dealer readers the most over the past 12 months.

Perhaps surprisingly, the stories which gained the most click-throughs by our readers were not directly related to the circumstances thrown up by the pandemic - but rather they were often issues which dealers have perennially faced regarding relationships with major suppliers.

So without further ado, here in ascending order are the 10 most read stories from the Service Dealer Weekly Update, throughout 2020:

10.

JOHN DEERE TO EXIT WALK-BEHIND ROTARY MOWER BUSINESS - 6th July 2020

With sale of SABO to another German company, John Deere announced they would discontinue production of Tango robotic lawnmowers as well as the walk-behind rotary mowers.

9.

CFM ISSUE STATEMENT ON JOHN DEERE SPLIT - 14th August 2020

Following the news that Cornwall Farm Machinery was to relinquish the John Deere franchise at the end of October 2020, the dealership released a statement explaining their decision.

8.

DEALERSHIP DOORS RIPPED OFF BY THIEVES IN 4X4 - 3rd January 2020

On the night of December 29 2019, dealers Culverwells' branch in Tenterden, Kent, was broken into with thieves getting away with a haul of chainsaws, strimmers and hedgecutters - all captured on CCTV.

7.

DAVID J ATTFIELD IN LIQUIDATION - 17th July 2020

The family-run business who had been going for over 30 years called in administrators on June 1st 2020.

6.

HRN TRACTORS SPEAK OUT AGAINST JOHN DEERE - 7th August 2020

Dealers HRN Tractors accused Deere of "a complete disconnect with reality" whilst reassuring their customers they were in a "secure place" and would be parting company with the manufacturer at the end of October.

5.

DEALERS REACT TO HONDA PLANS - 9th October 2020

Dealers took to online forums, including the Service Dealer website, to express surprise and disappointment at the news that the manufacturer was cutting around a quarter of its network.

4.

BRIGGS & STRATTON "FACES POSSIBLE BANKRUPTCY" SAYS REPORT - 10th July 2020

According to a report in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the small engine manufacturer faced a 15th July 2020 deadline in efforts to avoid bankruptcy.

3.

STIHL TO OFFER HANDOVER FEE TO DEALERS - 16th October 2020

STIHL Great Britain announced what they described as "a significant update" to its Dealer Discount Structure which was due to begin from March 2021.

2.

HONDA CUTTING DEALER NETWORK BY A QUARTER - 2nd October 2020

Honda announced a significant change to their lawn and garden dealer network - reducing it down from around 200 to roughly 150 retailers, in order they said, to "maintain dealer profitability".

1.

TOTAL LACK OF RESPECT - 9th October 2020

Service Dealer founder Chris Biddle penned an editorial saying that when Honda sacked 50 of their dealers, there had been no consultation, no explanation, no advance discussions.