Editing Jowett Cars (section)

===Crisis and closure===

The purchase tax on new cars was reduced by 25 per cent on 15 April 1953 (from {{frac|66|2|3}} per cent to 50 per cent), which triggered a surge in demand for new cars on the UK market. In the resulting scramble for production facilities, Ford bought Briggs, whose new [[Doncaster]] plant built the unitary construction bodies and fully trimmed them for Jowett Javelin cars and Bradford vans. In April 1953, the Ford Motor Company Limited purchased from the US shareholders majority control of Briggs Motor Bodies Limited, whose main factory was adjacent to the [[Ford Dagenham|Ford plant]] at [[Dagenham]]. Remaining minority shareholders were bought out, and Ford quickly acquired full ownership of the Briggs business. The Briggs factory at Doncaster <ref>''The Times'', Thursday, 23 April 1953; p. 12</ref> was surplus to Ford's requirements and it was sold to [[Fisher and Ludlow]]. Fisher and Ludlow itself was quickly swallowed up by the newly created [[British Motor Corporation]].<ref>''The Times'', Thursday, 26 November 1953; p. 13</ref>

At the beginning of July, the Chairman of Jowett Cars Limited, A.F. Jopling, who at the time was also a senior employee with [[Blackburn Aircraft]], informed Jowett shareholders at their [[Annual General Meeting]] that difficulties had arisen over the future supply of car bodies. Negotiations were proceeding, but an interruption in delivery of completed vehicles appeared likely to occur in the closing months of that year. He also reported that exports for 1952 were almost 75 per cent down on 1951. On the home market, during the six-month run-up to tax changes in April 1953, the anticipated success of an organised campaign for a reduction in purchase tax had sharply reduced previously buoyant UK new car demand. Home market sales in the last quarter of 1952 were only 15 per cent of the sales in the three preceding quarters.<ref name=TT2 />

In mid-September the board advised shareholders that the forecast break in production was unavoidable, and that it might prove to be of considerable duration. Having regard to this possibility, negotiations extended to suitable alternative work which would keep the factory reasonably employed. It also advised that the difficulty in arranging supplies of new bodies would unfortunately postpone the production of the new range of commercial vehicles, and the estate car, which were fully tooled-up.<ref name=TT />

The business appeared to be running out of [[working capital]] and car production ceased.

In July 1954 it was announced that Jowett Cars Limited would sell its main factory at Idle to International Harvester, excluding plant and equipment needed for the service and spares departments.

A note was added by ''[[The Times]]'' that Jowett Cars had run into difficulties the previous year (1953), following the acquisition of the motor body suppliers Fisher and Ludlow by BMC,<ref>''The Times'', Friday, 31 July 1953; p. 12</ref> completed in September 1953. "It is now stated that since the company ceased manufacturing Javelin and Bradford vehicles it has not been found possible to keep the main factory operating at an economic level." However Jowett Cars Limited reported a (small) profit for the financial year.<ref>''The Times'', Tuesday, 20 July 1954; p. 8</ref>

At the 35th Annual General Meeting in August 1954, the chairman advised the profound regret of the board and all associated with the company, including the users of the some 65,000 vehicles which had been made since 1946, for their joint circumstances.<ref>''The Times'', Tuesday, 24 August 1954; p. 11</ref>

Ultimately shareholders received back rather more than the nominal value of their shares. That process was completed in mid-1955.