Shields’ Land Rover move drives it into the black

Motor dealer Shields Automotive has driven into the black after selling a string of showrooms to focus on sales of Land Rover models.

Newly-filed accounts for the year to 30 June show that the Glasgow-based firm booked a profit before tax of £173,000 compared with losses of £421,000 a year earlier.

The bottom line was given a lift from the sale of the businesses to Aim-quoted Vertu Motors in summer 2010, after the previous year-end.

Since the close of the 12-month period covered in the latest accounts, Shield had also sold its Toyota franchise operations, to Arnold Clark.