Batteries, Brakes & All Those Winter Woes

As the darker evenings draw in and the frost starts settling on windscreens, things get a little busier — and a lot cosier — here at The Garage Warmington.  Over the past 50 plus years we’ve seen our fair share of British winters, and January 2026 has been a whirlwind of different weather fronts from  mild drizzles, fresh frosty days, snow and  apocalyptic rain downpours. 

 

Winter has a funny way of exposing things that were “absolutely fine last month”  and this month we've had quite a few "why is my car making that noise?" enquiries. So around this time of year we see a predictable mixture of:

  • Batteries that have decided they’ve had enough
  • Tyres losing pressure as temperatures drop
  • Squeaky brakes (the cold makes everything dramatic)
  • Wipers that smear more than they clear
  • Cars that just seem to be in a general grump

Luckily  nothing fazes the team. Whether it’s a simple winter check or a tricky diagnostic job, the kettle’s always on and the spanners at the ready. 

Adrian, Joshua and Kim

Happy New Year!!!!

Reflections of 2025

5 Jan 2026 13:12

Wow, what a whirlwind 2025 has been for both the garage and me! By the time the year wrapped up, I was honestly shattered and couldn’t wait to put my feet up over Christmas. So, there I was, on holiday—tucking into loads of tasty food and maybe having a cheeky drink or two—and I found myself thinking back over the past year and everything we’ve managed to pull off as a business. The absolute stand-out moment? Bagging the Top Garage of the Year award in the 1-3 employee category! There’s no way I could’ve done it without Josh, my son, working his socks off beside me, and my wife Kim’s unwavering love and support. They’ve both been right there with me as I chased this dream for the last five years. Winning that Top Garage Award is proof of all the time, effort, and investment we’ve poured into building our skills, upgrading our gear, and making customer service a big deal—so we can give our customers nothing but the best. 

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Well we made it again!! I cant quite believe that we have made it into the Top Garage Awards for the 5th Year!! Last month we also attended the Independent Garage Awards as we were also a finalist. This is a huge achievement for us , as even in the small independent garage category we were up against garages with 10 or less employees. With just Joshua and I working in the garage and my wife Kim supporting us in the background (i.e the unpaid secretary) I cannot express how proud I am that our small independent village garage can compete with some of the best small garages out there. 

 

We still have an interview to go to on the 15th November where I get 3 minutes to sell how great we are. Last year my wife kept kicking me when I was talking about our garage, apparently I had gone way over the 3 minutes, but I had so much to say about our history, the great community we work in,  Joshua who has developed in leaps and bounds since he joined me in 2020 and of course the great customers we have who come back to us time and time again. We still have customers that have been coming to us for the full 50 year history of the garage.

 

I really want to win this year, as I do every year , but in all honesty I just want us to be the best that we can be and continue to give a great customer services to both our loyal customers of up to 50 years and those new to us. 

 

By entering these competitions it gives us time to reflect on where we excel and also on where we can improve. It also helps us to build networks with the wider garage community and this helps us to support each other and gain insight and knowledge. I've lost count of how many times I have picked up the phone and used the expertise of fellow garage owners  and technicians to resolve a mechanical issue that's stumped us. 

 

So with our hands scrubbed clean and our oily clothes replaced by shirt and trousers apart from Kim,  she looks better in a dress,  we will attended the award ceremony on Saturday the 15th November 2025, after a very stressful interview and my wife kicking me I will need that drink. Who knows this year we might actually win!!!

 

Below is what the Top Garage  and IGA says about the awards. To be held to a Gold standard and  for us to stand out from the crowd is achievement enough for now. . 

Adrian, Joshua and Kim Smith 

 

 

The Top Garage Awards 2025

Top Garage launched in 2018, is designed to highlight the UK’s best garages and reward their efforts.  Over the last few years, Top Garage has grown from strength to strength. 

 

Top Garage’s goal is to help develop, reward and add value to the UK’s independent garage network- and champion their success, however big or small!

The competition provides opportunity to:

  • Supercharge your business development
  • Highlight areas for improvement through in-depth feedback throughout competition
  • Network with industry experts at one of the biggest events of the year
  • Taking part in Top Garage, provides a unique selling point for your business

The BIG Awards 2025 (IGA)

The Independent Garage Association proudly presents the British Independent Garage of the Year Awards to honour the best of our sector, by the industry, for the industry.

The response we received has been nothing short of extraordinary, showcasing a diverse array of talent, innovation, and ingenuity from individuals and organisations around the globe. From ground-breaking start-ups to established enterprises, each submission has brought something unique to the table, embodying the spirit of excellence that defines the BIG Awards.

Thank you to everyone who entered this year’s awards! Your dedication and excellence have set the bar high, showcasing the incredible talent and hard work within the independent garage sector.

Recognising businesses from the length and breadth of Britain, with award categories highlighting all areas that contribute to making the independent garage stand out from the crowd, the BIG Awards have established a new gold standard for the independent garage sector.