Alan Grimshaw Central QLD dealerships, Linemac, in receivership

Staff at four Central Queensland car dealerships have been left in the lurch after all four sites closed their doors last week.

Linemac Motors Biloela along with and Grimshaw’s Quality Cars Emerald that also has sites in south and north Rockhampton were closed and empty last week with a former employee posting a notice about what is happening on social media to advise the community of Biloela. Pictured is the south Rockhampton site on Gladstone Road.

A Central Queensland new and used vehicles and caravan dealership has gone in receivership and left staff without jobs.

Linemac Motors Biloela and Grimshaw’s Quality Cars Emerald, which also has sites in south and north Rockhampton, were closed and empty last week.

A former employee posted a notice about what is happening on social media to advise the community of Biloela.

The Linemac Motors website has new, demo and used cars for sale while the Grimshaw’s Quality Cars Facebook page also featured caravans for sale.

They sold Ford and Mitsubishi new cars and had a link to Grimshaw’s website which states the north Rockhampton site is located on Musgrave Street.

It too was empty of vehicles today.

The post, written by Virginia Atto, stated: “As a former employee at Linemac, I am wanting to address what is happening at Linemac Motors and Grimshaws Quality Cars.”

“As of yesterday unfortunately it has gone into receivership. This decision was not made lightly and was out of the staff’s control.

“It has come as a shock to all staff, and it deeply saddens me to share that all staff members in Biloela, Emerald & Rockhampton have been made redundant effective as of yesterday.

“The receivers and Linemac will be working very hard to work towards resolving any issues this may take a while. However, as one of those staff members, I ask for your understanding during this challenging time, as all the workers and their families are affected by this situation.

“Please be mindful of the difficulties they are experiencing too.”

Later, Ms Atto pleaded with people to not implicate other car dealerships in the issue.

“Linemac Ford, Linemac Mitsubishi & Grimshaws Quality Cars are not tied in with any other dealerships or any other automotive business,” she wrote.

“I would hate to hear of or see any of these businesses feeling the backlash of this situation which they have no association with.”

The Morning Bulletin has reached out to the owner of the dealerships, Alan Lloyd Grimshaw, via Facebook and a mobile phone number published online he once had possession of, but there has been no response.

Alan Grimshaw, at Linemac Motors.

Glenda Vassey responded to Ms Atto, saying she was saddened to hear of the Biloela site shutting and immediately thought of the impact on the employees, especially the long-term ones.

“It would have been a dreadful shock and impacts not just on them, but their families and communities as a whole, and also customers who bought cars in good faith,” she wrote.

“Other people who provided a service to this company will also be affected and so it rolls on. I do hope the employees will find further employment quickly.”

Another commented anonymously saying multinational company Grant Thorton Australia, which has an office in Brisbane, had been appointed receivers.

Originally published as Alan Grimshaw Central QLD dealerships, Linemac, in receivership