Directors
David Kershaw
Managing Director
Phil Douthwaite
Director
David Borton
Director
Christopher Hattersley
Director
Management Team
Brenda Upton
Accounts
Andrew Dexter (Mickey)
Management Team
Arron Hill
Service Reception
Staff
Andrew Matthews
Andrew is one of our leads technicians, having been with us since school. He has served his apprenticeship with us from school. Andrew has successfully completed the Bosch Diagnostic Technician training and is on the Bosch Master Tech programme. Andrew takes on the largest strip downs, Discovery body-offs being one of his regular large jobs. He is married to Maria and they have a wizard footballing daughter, Connie.
Ian Harris
Ian served his apprenticeship with Honda and came to us to get a better chance to work on more demanding jobs. He has since become an MOT tester, qualified BDT and is on the Master Tech stage with Bosch. Ian heads up the staff in the bottom workshop.
Nigel Markham
Our second part time driver. Nigel has completed 24 years with us as a body worker and is now enjoying the clean life as a driver.
Hugh Black
Hugh is our valued cleaner. He keeps everywhere in tip-top condition. He’s brilliant!
Matthew Mellor
Matthew originally did work experience with us. After training in light motor vehicles at college, he joined us full time in 2025.
Abigail Kershaw
Abby helps on reception on Saturday mornings. She is the fourth generation of the family to work at Central Garage.
Jacob Pugh
Jacob joined us in 2019 from school. He sailed through his apprenticeship even despite it running through Covid-19. He was one of the few staff to work all the way through this period and as he was given more and more jobs to do individually, he progressed rapidly. He is now well on his way through BDT.
Michael Jones
Mick joined us in June 2019. He is an integral part of our reception team. He comes from a workshop background, having started at Colliers as an apprentice, then technician, the moving onto workshop controller at Colliers multi brand, then Volkswagen in Halesowen.
Tim Nash
Tim is our resident painter. He worked for over twenty years for the local Mazda/Peugeot/Citroen dealer before they shut their bodyshop down. Tim puts the professional finish to every car we turn out.
Ja-Jay Morgan
Ja-Jay also completed light motor vehicles courses at college and joined us in 2024. He’s learning his craft under Ian.
Sam Pope
Sam completed his apprenticeship with us after school and started on the BDT programme. He qualified as an MOT tester with us. He is married to Jessica and they have a baby son Ayrton in 2025. Sam is a competing model car racer.
Gemma Parcell
Gemma is our part time receptionist and deals with our online enquiries and bookings. She has been with us since 2007. In that time she has married, bought a house and had two children.
Dave Morris
Dave is a former Vauxhall Master Tech. Now capable of servicing on all makes. He is an MOT tester as well. He is happily married to Jacque and enjoys his evenings watching Emmerdale.
Oscar Sanders
Oscar started with us at 17 as an apprentice. He achieved A or A* at GCSE in Maths, Physics. English and Chemistry. He attends the Bosch Training Centre in Doncaster. He is being trained in both mechanical and Electronic aspects of automotive engineering.
Jacob Wright
Jacob is our first apprentice service reception person. He’s a massive Aston Villa fan.
Tony Koychev
Tony is also from Ukraine and also has a degree (in Economics). He is our newest technician.
Paul Trahearn
Paul is our head Valeter. He is our go to tech for trim or paint rectification.
Martin Cox
Martin came to us from Volkswagen. Martin added a depth of knowledge on the VW brand. Martin has now taken over the electrical bay and is our head diagnostic technician.
Corey Frost
Corey is our car washer. His main pursuit out of work is hockey.
ANTHONY ADKINS
Ant is one of our drivers. He came to us as after a chance conversation with David after he had reluctantly finished his joinery business suffering from a bad back. He also assists in the MOT bay and loves sweeping up.
Constantin Katsiuba
Constantin comes to us from Ukraine. He has a couple of degrees, one in thermal engineering, one in law. Constantin’s family originally made engines. Before he left Ukraine following the invasion, he had his own garage business. He lives in Lichfield with his wife and son
David Kershaw
Managing Director
David is the Managing Director of the Company. He is responsible for keeping staff up to date with technical information and diagnostic needs. He has an OND in Technology from Stafford College and a B.Sc. (Hons.) degree in Electronic Engineering from the University of Wales. Throughout University, David was sponsored by the MOD (Air force). He has a Master technician qualification from the ATA and is a qualified Bosch Diagnostic Technician (BDT). David was a representative for the Midlands area of Bosch Car Service (BCS) Council and was then in 2023 was elected National Chairman of the BCS Council. David is a Freeman of The Worshipful Company of Smiths, Lichfield’s oldest guild of craftsmen, having been invited into the Company in 2009.
David used to be sport mad, playing rugby, tennis, running, water skiing and swimming. He rowed competitively for thirteen years for UCNW Bangor, Burton Leander, DeMontfort University, then Derby RC. He completed the London Marathon in 2000. Now with most parts worn out he sticks to a bit of mountain biking, golf and snow skiing in between visits to the Chiropractor. When he can, David likes to spend his time on his narrow boat, Lollipop.
David is a keen supporter of Marie Curie. He has cycled from top to bottom of Ireland, from London to Paris and London to Amsterdam to raise funds.
David has been an active member of Lichfield Round Table 250 and was Chairman for 2006/2007. He has now moved on to the Old boys club “Spires”, a 41 Club where he was Chairman in 2021/22. He is married to Sue and they have a beautiful daughter, Abigail, who definitely takes her looks from her mother.
At home, David likes to work in his garden, enjoy the surrounding countryside and take his two Dalmatians on walks.
Phil Douthwaite
Director
Philip is the longest serving member of staff with some 40 years service. Philip runs the MOT side, keeping up to date with ever changing legislation on the MOT test. Being from the old school he is still the best man to “toil with carburettors” on the older vehicle. He has also gained Master Technician status with the ATA. Philip became a Director of the company in 2010. Philip’s main pursuit is golf, being an eleven handicapper. He has two children and is married to Jane.
David Borton
Director
David is another long serving member of the team, being with us from school. He served his apprenticeship with us and has never been afraid to turn his hand to anything. David showed an interest in bodywork and this evolved into us doing our own bodywork in house in the early nineties after previously sub-contracting. David implements new technology into the running of the paint shop. David now runs a body shop producing high quality repairs. David was made a Director in 2010.Dave has a son, Josh.
Brenda Upton
Accounts
Brenda has run the accounts for ten plus years. She comes from a bookkeeping background and brings extensive knowledge of Sage accounting and business information systems. Since her arrival, the company accounts have been over-hauled to ensure accurate costing of repair and maintenance projects to ultimately benefit both the company and the customer.
Christopher Hattersley
Director
Chris is in charge of the reception team at Central. He worked as a Parts advisor at Vauxhall for eight years and then at Mercedes for seven and a half years. He is qualified to NVQ levels 1,2 and 3 in parts supply. He has several manufacturer qualifications from Mercedes and Vauxhall. Chris is engaged to Samantha. They enjoy walks in the countryside or on the beach in Cornwall.
Andrew Dexter (Mickey)
Management Team Member
Andrew has been with us since leaving school. He attended Tamworth College during his apprenticeship. He is a qualified and current MOT tester. He has achieved Technician status. He has a son and daughter. He is currently on the Bosch Diagnostic Training programme (BDT). Andrew manages the business on Fridays.
Arron Hill
Service Reception
Nickname ‘H’, Arron has been with us since school, with a small time spent at a Jaguar dealership. In the last few years, Arron moved away from the workshop floor to assist on reception. Arron is now workshop supervisor. Away from work, Arron enjoys cycling, fishing and drinking.