ESPLANADE car dealership and garage in Cowes will welcome customers back into its showroom this morning (Monday) — the day of its 75th anniversary.

Now based in Airfield Road in Cowes, Esplanade was founded in 1946 by Peter Dorley-Brown, and trading began from premises in George Street, Ryde.

The following decade saw Esplanade acquire land at Newport's Medina Avenue and built a workshop and showroom.

Over the years this site saw petrol pumps added along with further extensions, while the Ryde shop became the top car rental provider on the Island.

Acquired by the Jacksons Group in 2017, Esplanade joined forces with branches in the Channel Islands and Isle of Man.

It soon outgrew its Newport premises and with heavy investment from the Jacksons Group, built a state-of-art site in Cowes.

Isle of Wight County Press: Esplanade's Cowes site today.Esplanade's Cowes site today.

Moving in April 2018, Esplanade saw a vast expansion in its portfolio of manufacturers.

Currently, Esplanade employs around 40 staff, of which many have clocked up 15 years or more of service.

It has also been calculated that over 75 years Esplanade has serviced around 225,000 vehicles and sold approximately 45,000 cars.

Group sales director, David Weston, said: “The whole team at Esplanade is proud to have reached this incredible milestone in the businesses history.

"Esplanade’s success can be attributed to expert staff, loyal local customers and premium range of vehicles.”

The Esplanade team is now showcasing and offering test drives on five all-new 100% electric vehicles.