ONE of west York's most familiar business names has gone after 36 years.

Acomb Road-based Hunters Motor Spares - affectionately known as The Shed - has sold its last car part because of dwindling profits over recent years.

Ken Hunter, 59, bought the Holgate premises and next-door second-hand furniture business 25 years ago with his brother, Geoff, who retired four years ago.

His daughter, Kaye, also worked alongside him at the store.

The buildings will now be sold off for housing.

Ken and Geoff first took over Foxwood Lane service station in 1967, before taking over one in Wetherby Road and another car centre behind Poppleton Road school.

"The petrol company wouldn't let any prospective buyers use their own name for the business at Foxwood Lane," Ken said.

"But because our name was Hunter they allowed it because of the connection with foxes."

He said: "The writing is on the wall for small businesses.

"Modern cars don't often break down anymore, and you don't see people with their bonnets up fixing their own vehicles.

"I would have loved the business to carry on for Kaye's sake, but the customers just weren't there."

Ken said a recent serious heart attack also sealed his decision to finish.

"One of the nicest things about the family business was that in 30 years of working with my brother, we never fell out once," he said.

"I can't go out to any public place without recognising someone."

Ken, who lives in Poppleton with his wife, Audrey, was a member of the famous York Rugby League team which defeated a mighty New Zealand touring side in the 1960s.

A qualified mechanic, he now plans to become a freelance "car consultant" in which he will give advice to people who want to buy a second-hand car.

"Too many people are still getting ripped off," he said.

Updated: 08:38 Tuesday, April 22, 2003