BRITISH ICON-Norton Motorcycles goes into administration

By Tony Winterburn • Published: 30 Jan 2020 • 8:09

122 years of manufacturing motorcycles comes to an end. image: Norton Media

A BRITISH ICON-Norton Motorcycles has gone into administration after being unable to pay its tax bills.

Norton was founded in Birmingham in 1898 and is seen as one of the last remaining British motorcycle brands. The company has appointed administrators less than five years after its motorbikes featured in the James Bond film Spectre.

The Leicestershire-based firm, founded in Birmingham in 1898, has appointed administrators after reports that it was having trouble paying its tax bill and was heading for a winding-up order from HMRC.

Lee Causer, from administrators BDO, said: “We are taking all necessary steps to ensure that customers, staff, and suppliers are supported through the administration process.

“Our job is to determine and execute the most appropriate strategy as swiftly as possible to protect creditors’ interests, bearing in mind the need to minimise distress for all parties.

“We are currently assessing the position of each of the companies in order to conclude upon the options available to them and the most appropriate way forward.”

Norton employs about 100 people at its factory in the market town Castle Donington, as yet no redundancies have been announced.