Category: BMW

We are delighted to have officially switched on 1600 new solar panels across our dealership roofs in Blackburn and Preston. 

The new panels will allow our Centres to generate a quarter of our electricity from solar energy and reduce their carbon footprint by 130 tonnes!

The official solar panel switch-on was in recognition of Earth Day on Saturday, 22 April 2023. 

Our Director, Jonathan Rogan, said: “It was perfect timing that Earth Day followed so soon after installing the new panels. We officially celebrated the switch on and joined other businesses across the globe to raise awareness of climate issues.

“Our new investment will significantly impact reducing our carbon footprint. As a company, we’re committed to leading the way in environmentally-friendly business practices. And we hope to inspire our staff, customers and others in the community about important environmental issues.”

Bowker has invested in sustainable energy before. In 2012, our Blackburn dealership installed 210 solar panels, making it the first car dealership in Lancashire to adopt solar energy. Since then, these panels have saved the company money and reduced carbon emissions by 500 tonnes.

Our ongoing commitment to sustainability was also recognised by BMW UK after recently receiving the first-ever National BMW UK Retailer Award for Sustainability. Read more here.

Earth Day is an annual event promoting environmental protection and raising awareness about our planet’s threats. This day is marked by various activities such as rallies, community clean-ups, and educational programs to encourage people to take action to protect the environment. 

Bowker BMW has partnered with Preston North End’s Community and Education Trust to spread some Easter joy for children who benefit from the trust’s work across Preston.

The campaign will distribute Easter eggs to low-income families, food banks, and some participants in the most deprived areas of Preston.

The Easter eggs will be distributed in the lead-up to Easter, over the Easter weekend. They will also be given out at Preston North End’s home fixture against Reading on Easter Monday. 

Jonathan Rogan, director at Bowker BMW, was happy to support the initiative. He said: “We know what a great job the Preston North End’s Community and Education Trust do for local people. That’s why we were only too happy to donate these Easter eggs. As a business, we are committed to supporting our local community. We hope this donation will bring a smile to the faces of friends and neighbours in local communities who need it most.”

Community Partnerships Co-ordinator Brad North for PNE Community and Education Trust said: “We really appreciate the donation from Bowker BMW. It allows us to provide Easter Eggs to those most in need at this time of year. They will be distributed locally. From previous years we know that children who receive the eggs will love the Bowker donation.”

The PNE Community and Education Trust deliver initiatives that create safer, stronger, and more resilient communities. It also provides educational programs in sport, enterprise, and citizenship to support children who may face challenges with traditional learning environments.

BMW Group UK has added Pod Point as a preferred EV home chargepoint supplier for BMW retail customers, further enhancing home charging services for retail customers.

The three-year agreement will see BMW customers purchasing a new electrified vehicle at a franchise retailer offered the option of home charger consultation and installation by Pod Point’s expert team. Over 3,800 BMW customers have already installed a Pod Point home charger. All home installations benefit from a three-year Pod Point warranty included as standard.

The Pod Point app’s charge activity monitoring feature provides vehicle owners with insights into energy usage, enabling them to determine how much energy they are using to charge their vehicle and the electricity cost over a specified period.

This new partnership will also provide BMW customers with increased access to public charging infrastructure with the inclusion of Pod Point’s extensive network in the BMW Charging service.  As a result, in addition to the 14,000+ UK chargepoints already offered to customers through included networks (including bp pulse and IONITY), Pod Point bring over 6,200 additional charging bays thereby increasing BMW Charging access to over 70%* coverage across the UK.

Daniel Elliott, eMobility Product Manager at BMW UK said “We’re really pleased to announce our new relationship with Pod Point.  They excel at providing reliable, easy to use home charging products with a proven reputation for delivering outstanding customer service.  Furthermore, the inclusion of Pod Point’s public charging network within BMW Charging further cements BMW’s focus on creating easy and convenient access to public charging, anywhere, using just the BMW Charging Card or My BMW App.”

Commenting on the partnership, Erik Fairbairn, Founder and CEO of Pod Point said: “We’re delighted to be working with BMW as a preferred chargepoint supplier. BMW has won praise for having some of the best electric cars on the market with its models consistently lauded for efficiency and range, and we’re excited about the electric vehicles it will bring to market in the coming months.”

The partnership supports BMW Group’s transformation towards sustainable mobility. This year, including pre-production vehicles, BMW Group will already have 15 fully-electric models in production and by the end of 2025, the company will have more than two million fully-electric vehicles on the road, worldwide.

Bowker BMW enjoyed a successful Lancashire Business Expo 2023, which took place on Friday, March 24th, at the Preston Guild Hall. The event drew in over 1,600 attendees, and Bowker BMW was one of the more than 120 exhibitors offering their services.

At the expo, Bowker BMW provided valuable information on the benefits of electric and hybrid fleets, including details on EV range, performance, and cost savings. In addition, their team of experts was available to provide one-on-one consultations and answer questions.

Marketing manager for Bowker BMW, Amy Lancaster-Hall, expressed her delight with the event, saying, “What a great event! The Lancashire Business Expo is always a fantastic opportunity to meet other local businesses. Thank you to Shout Expo for their hard work, and congratulations on delivering another memorable event.”

The Director of Shout Expo, Jordan Conlin, also praised the event, saying, “This year’s LBE was off the scale – so much fun. Preston Guild Hall was buzzing. We’re all exhausted, but we’re already excited about 2024! A huge thanks to all our partners and exhibitors who made the expo such a huge success and to the visitors who came along to see what the fuss is all about and give our exhibitors the chance to showcase their services.”

The Lancashire Business Expo has become a significant annual event for local businesses, providing opportunities for networking, interactive activities, and exhibition stands. To learn more about this year’s event and see reactions, search for #LBE2023 across social media channels.

The innovative BMW LED door projectors make entering and exiting the car a truly unique experience. They are automatically activated when the doors are opened and light up the entry area in a wholly individual manner by projecting an image onto the ground next to the vehicle. The driver can personally select the image projected using the interchangeable slides that provide the choice between the BMW logo and three alternative motifs. So even in low light, the door projectors provide an individual experience when entering or leaving the car. They are simply installed in place of the existing door entry lights and are perfectly suited to the BMW on-board power supply.

BMW LED door projectors are priced at £96 per set and include:

• BMW logo and three other motifs available
• LED lights are optimally suited to the on-board power supply
• Image visible even in low light
• Includes: two door projectors, slides with various images

AVAILABLE DESIGNS:

If you would like more information on this Genuine BMW Accessory, please complete the contact form on this page. Alternatively, call Bowker Blackburn on 01254 274444 or Bowker Preston on 01772 769976.

*Available for any model although car must have Build Code 563 (extended interior light package).

BMW UK presented the award to the Bowker BMW Centres in Blackburn and Preston, at a ceremony in Liverpool. The award was one of the national BMW UK Retailer Awards and recognised the family-owned group’s commitment to sustainability. The award also acknowledges Bowker’s efforts to reduce its carbon footprint.

Bowker Motor Group’s financial commitment to sustainability in 2022 alone has reached almost £2 million. The business has engaged an Energy Champion to discover smarter ways to reduce their carbon footprint. And, last year, Bowker revealed that it has eliminated all but 95% of its paper transactions and communications. 

The BMW UK Awards were presented at the ACC Liverpool by comedian Alan Carr and TV presenter Edith Bowman. The awards recognise the hard work and dedication of BMW and MINI retailers across the country. BMW UK chose winners in categories including Sales, Marketing, Used Cars, and Sustainability. 

Chris Eccles, Bowker Motor Group director, said: “Thank you to BMW UK for this prestigious award. We are proud that BMW has recognised us for our commitment to sustainability, especially in the first year it has been presented. At Bowker, we take our responsibility to minimise our impact on the environment seriously. And we want to lead by example. 

“This award is credit to the hard work and dedication of our staff. Now, more than ever, we’ll continue to find more ways to reduce our impact on the environment. It’s up to us all to reduce our carbon footprint and make a difference.”

Sustainability has been at the heart of Bowker Motor Group since 2007. In that year, the Bowker centres adopted the ‘Bowker SOS’ (Switch Off Something) initiative inspired by the energy crisis of 1973. Since then, the centres have recycled materials such as glass, cardboard, oil, and even rubber tyres to help the environment. Recyclers reconstitute the tyres to reuse in flooring for children’s playgrounds.

In 2012, Bowker BMW in Blackburn became the first car dealership in Lancashire to install  solar panels on the roof of its Blackburn Centre. At the time, the investment in 210 panels offered a projected saving of £420,000 over the next 25 years. With the spiralling increase in energy costs, this saving is likely to be even more. An emissions saving of almost 500 tonnes of CO2 was also predicted.

The sustainability award also acknowledged Bowker for creating wide-ranging social value. The business demonstrated a focus on improving working conditions for employees and supporting the local community. 

At work, the company is investing in new showers and changing facilities for staff.  From wealth management workshops to professional development for managers, Bowker employees can count on support. And they have sourced uniforms from sustainable suppliers.

Working with local colleges, Bowker has established scholarship and apprenticeship schemes for over 15 years. The group has employed 14 apprentices and recently hired its first female apprentice. Bowker also invites students to experience the motor trade at first hand. The training covers all departments during a 10-day period.