LONG-established rural business H Yates and Sons of Wintringham closed this week ending more than 80 years of supplying of new cars, motorcycles and tractors, and vehicle repairs and MOTs.

The family business was started by Harry Yates, and its present head, his grandson, Chris, is retiring after running it since 1958, with the help of his wife, Sheila, and in recent years by his son, Paul, and daughter, Sarah.

Over the years the business has been agents for such legendary makes of car as Wolsley, MG, Riley Morris and more recently, Rover, as well as Nuffield tractors, said Mr Yates.

But while it has retained its traditional image of a rurally-based garage and vehicle repair business, H Yates - still affectionately known by the older generation as Post Office Garage when the family home nearby was also the Wintringham post office many years ago - has moved with the times, taking on board the massive changes in car design as a result of the computer revolution which its workshop staff have successfully wrestled with, said Mr Yates.

The business expanded in the 1960s with the building of workshops after what was the old Methodist Chapel in Wintringham was bought and converted into a showroom.

This week, Mr Yates and his family were reading through a large pile of letters from grateful customers, many of whom have been having their vehicles serviced at the garage for some 40-plus years.

Sarah, who has been in charge of the bookwork and administration for 17 years, now plans to spend more time with her 17month old toddler, Oliver, while Paul is looking for a new opportunity after being the chief mechanic for 20 years.

Mr Yates has had the benefit of enjoying the latest models of a wide range of cars at his garage, but says his favourite was always a "frog-eyed" Healey Sprite.

He has been a stalwart of Wintringham's village life for many years as a member of the parish council, village hall committee, and of the Millennium Committee which raised money to create a pond to mark the new century.

He is also a past chairman and secretary of the North Yorkshire Retail Motor Industry Federation.

"It is sad that an era has come to an end with the closure of the business, " said Sarah, "But in some ways it is a relief."

Mr Yates, who learned his skills from his father and grandfather, recalls how as long as three weeks could be spent on renovating a car engine and body because they had to be completely overhauled after 50,000 miles. "It's very different today because cars are built to last a long time, " he added.

Later this month there is to be sale of all the garage equipment, machinery and tools, before the garage complex is demolished to make way for five new homes.