A second-hard car dealer is to transform a 19th century listed fire station into a showroom in a bid to compete with cheap offers for new vehicles.

Mark Wittey took over the site of the former fire station in Kings Road, Chingford, eight years ago, after the business was established by his father, Peter, 20 years ago.

Built in 1899, the station was the first in Chingford and was occupied by Chingford Voluntary Fire Brigade until it moved to The Ridgeway in the late 1920s.

It has previously been used as a vehicle showroom, but for the last four years the front section of the building, which dates back to 1899, has been unused.

Mr Wittey is planning to spend £15,000 on transforming it into a new showroom and office.

He said he hopes to raise the profile of the business and improve the reputation of second-hand car dealers, which are often perceived as untrustworthy.

"The aim is to open the business up and make it accessible from King's Road as we are currently stuck at the back and it's not ideal,” Mr Wittey added.

"Manufacturers are offering such good finance deals on new cars these days. 

"I come from a family of car dealers and we are not rogues or villains.

“Our industry has been affected tremendously by people who sell cars privately from their homes and offer no guarantee. 

"People go to the cheapest first, but if something goes wrong with the car, all the owner has to go by is a mobile number and after one phone call, they will be lucky to ever hear from that person again. 

"These types of dealers only care about money."