Citygate Volkswagen awarded "one to watch" company status

Citygate, one of the UK’s leading Volkswagen dealers, has been awarded the esteemed ‘One to Watch’ status by Best Companies in its 2012 listings. Only the most outstanding businesses receive such accreditation, which makes them eligible for the highly prestigious Best 100 Companies to Work For list, conducted by The Sunday Times.

Following a thorough employee survey and organisation questionnaire, Citygate was found to excel. Its results put it amongst the most promising business prospects in the UK.

Best Companies’ scrutiny involved assessments across all areas of the company with Citygate possessing impressive management skills, strong core values and excellent customer service. Ever-proud of its consumer relations, Citygate’s new status is a testament to the staff who have worked so hard to achieve it.

Jonathan Smith, Managing Director of Citygate, spoke of his delight at being awarded the new status: “I’m thrilled to have Citygate recognised as a Best Companies ‘One to Watch’. It is a real honour for every member of our team; they’ve put in so much hard work and their focus on great customer service has paid dividends.”

Beginning trade in 2006, Citygate now delivers more than 7,000 top-of-the-range new and used cars to delighted clients every year and employs in excess of 350 highly-trained individuals over five separate operations.

Citygate, specialising in the sale of Volkswagen and Škoda vehicles, pledges to take its customer services far beyond the purchase of the car or van, going the extra mile with its excellent tuning and bodyshop work, as well as MOT testing and support.

Citygate celebrates car of the year

Motorists hoping to own the What Car? 2012 Car of the Year don’t have long to wait, with the victorious Volkswagen up! arriving at Volkswagen retailer Citygate’s five dealerships over the coming weeks.

Those looking to purchase the award-winning car, which the judging panel commended for combining refinement, quality, space and economy, will be able to buy it at Citygate dealerships in Chalfont, Colindale, High Wycombe, Ruislip and Watford from just £7,397.

With a fuel economy of 60.1mpg, What Car? commented that the car ‘set new standards for the £10,000 price bracket’. The magazine also noted that the car, while at home when driving around town, is far from averse to cruising along the motorway.

At the What Car? Awards ceremony the Volkswagen up! received multiple awards, also winning the City Car of the Year Award and the Safety Award for its City Emergency Braking System. The Volkswagen Golf, also available at all Citygate dealerships, claimed top honours in the Small Family Car category.

Citygate is familiar with award-winning quality, having secured two successes of its own in 2011: the company claimed the Motor Trader Website of the Year Award and the Car Dealer Multi Franchised Dealer Website of the Year Award.

“The Volkswagen up! is a truly brilliant product,” said Citygate Managing Director Jonathan Smith. “To add a car that has received such a distinguished honour to what was already a strong line-up of Volkswagen cars is going to make for a very exciting year.”

What Car? Editor-in-Chief Chas Hallett said: 'The Volkswagen up! is the best car we've seen this year. It feels at home in town and copes admirably on the motorway; it is the right car for the time.”

Citygate sponsor "Pilgrim Bandits" Kilimanjaro climb

A team of amputee soldiers preparing to climb Kilimanjaro have received a sponsorship boost from Citygate.

The team, known as the Pilgrim Bandits, will be leaving the UK on 15th February for the nine-day challenge, have recived a £500 cash boost from Citygate Volkswagen to contribute towards the cost of the trip.

The five amputee soldiers on the expedition are doing so to raise money for Pilgrim Bandits and will be joined by Dragon’s Den star, Duncan Bannatyne.

They will be supported by 15 able bodied people and two medical staff, have been preparing for the challenge for the past five months with a mix of endurance training and climbing in the Snowdon area.

Richard Eagell, Brand Manager at Citygate Volkswagen, said: “In committing to this gruelling trek, the climbers have all shown tremendous spirit and strength of character and we were so inspired by their determination that we wanted to lend our support.”

Chris Naughton, related to a Citygate staff member, added: “The amputees will be climbing without assistance and will be carrying their own kit and equipment which given their injuries, is a huge accomplishment. We are grateful to Citygate Volkswagen for their support and as a thank you, we will be taking a Citygate flag up the mountain for future climbers to see!”

Rising 19,340 feet above sea level, Kilimanjaro is the tallest mountain in Africa and the world’s highest free-standing mountain. It lies 205 miles South of the equator and stands on Tanzania’s northern border with Kenya and supports five major eco-zones: rainforest, heath, moorland, alpine desert and glaciers.

The weather on Mount Kilimanjaro can vary from very hot to extremely cold within the same day. At the base of the mountain, the average temperature is around 21-27 degrees however, at the summit, Uhuru Point, night time temperatures can range between 0 and -30 degrees.

In 1889, German geographer Hans Meyer and Austrian mountain climber Ludwig Purtscheller were the first to climb Kilimanjaro. Today, about 15,000 people attempt to climb Kilimanjaro each year, as a spiritual journey or as a personal challenge.

To learn more about the Pilgrim Bandits’ challenge, or to pledge support, visit www.pilgrimbandits.com