Wheeler Dealers’ Mike Brewer closes business after | Tech News

Wheeler Dealers star Mike Brewer has abruptly shut down his used car business after 15 years – blaming the Labour authorities for his spiralling prices.

The star of the hit TV show has posted a message on the company’s web site informing prospects of the ‘heartfelt decision’ to close Mike Brewer Motors.

The used car dealership, based mostly in Sheffield, will shut on the value of 60 jobs. It had been run by Mike and three different administrators in a three way partnership.

The assertion posted on the dealership’s web site on Friday afternoon stated: “After many successful years in business, we have made the difficult decision to close Mike Brewer Motors. We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to all our customers for their loyalty and support over the years. We are incredibly proud of the reputation we’ve built together.”

Brewer blamed the Labour authorities’s tax rises – such because the increase to employer National Insurance in final 12 months’s Budget – for the closure of the business.

But his present dealership, One Automotive, based mostly in Warwick, shouldn’t be affected by the closure.

Talking to Car Dealer Magazine, he stated: “Unfortunately, because of the government – as it’s heavily staffed that business – it’s meant that it is untenable to run any more, what with the government’s new taxation on staff.

“The onus is on the business owner and the market out there is really strong for competitiveness and you need to be really keen on your pricing to be able to sell high volume cars like we do out of Mike Brewer Motors, so we’ve taken the tough decision that we’re going to have to wind that business down – we can’t keep it going.

“We’re losing money and it’s all due to the government and what they’ve done recently with taxation.”

Businesses have warned Chancellor Rachel Reeves of more ache for retailers if more tax will increase are levied in her Autumn Budget on November 26.

Experts have warned that the upcoming autumn Budget “must deliver urgent support to avoid a wave of failures”, notably amongst small companies.

The newest quarterly Red Flag Alert report by Begbies Traynor has revealed a 78% soar within the quantity of companies in “critical” financial misery to 55,530 within the third quarter of 2025, in contrast with a 12 months earlier.

It stated this additionally represented a 12.6% soar towards the quarter to June, exhibiting a sharply worsening scenario for more than 6,000 companies.

Consumer-facing companies have come beneath explicit risk in latest months, as they face stress from rising labour prices and an uptick in inflation.

The knowledge confirmed there was a 96.7% soar in leisure and cultural companies in a “critical” conditions, with a 92.5% rise in accommodations and lodging, and 85.6% rise for retailers.

It comes amid fears that the Chancellor Rachel Reeves might flip to tax will increase to help deal with the fiscal black gap within the UK’s state funds.

Julie Palmer, companion at Begbies Traynor, stated the woes of many UK companies “shows the UK economy is in real trouble”.

She added: “With over 55,000 companies now in serious financial distress, the upcoming Budget must deliver urgent support to avoid a wave of failures, especially among SMEs already operating on a knife edge.

“Unfortunately for UK businesses, inflation is going nowhere, putting further pressure on companies at a time when wage, tax, and financing costs are already high.

“Many firms have no room to manoeuvre, and instead of investing for growth, are scaling back just to survive – the opposite of what the economy needs, if it’s going to recover and grow.”