Mr Merdith has never had to give any money back

Eastman's Bristol Reliant Centres in Eastville is owned and managed by Bob Meredith.

On Friday, 28 March, the 63-year-old will close the business, signalling the end of the last garage in the region to sell the Robin.

Mr Meredith, who plans to retire, said no one had come forward to buy the business as a going concern.

"I've sold them to doctors, nurses, vicars, accountants, all sorts of people," he said.

"Over the 30 years I haven't had to give any money back to anyone."

The car is no longer made - the last one rolled off the production line a year ago.

In the early 1970s, by contrast, Reliant was a success story. It was the second largest British car-maker in the country and 360 a week were produced.