Mystery surrounds the closure of a motor dealership in the centre of York.

The entrance to Henlys, in Stonebow, has been roped off and the offices and showroom are empty. When approached by the Evening Press, general manager David Green refused to comment, as did staff at the Henlys branch in Harrogate, which remains open.

A spokesman at head office, HMG Holdings in Sevenoaks, also refused to comment.

A garage was first opened on the site in 1946 as JR Russell, and the present building was erected around 1959 as Russell's Garage York Ltd.

Owner Mike Russell sold it to Henlys on March 1, 1988 as a Peugoet dealership, converting to Nissan in 1999. "I'm sorry to see it close down and I'm sorry for the staff, some of whom have been there more than 40 years," said Mr Russell.