About our company
Four generations of one family have strived to deliver outstanding customer satisfaction for 75 years. Below is a list of key dates in the history of the company.
1935
Major Phillip Wood opened the Humming Bird Garage consisting of petrol station and workshops in St Albans. The name was taken from a small cafe opposite which Mr Wood and his family regularly visited which was named the Humming Bird Cafe. When the cafe closed in 1935, the owner wanted the name to remain in the area so we took it on.
1956
Phillip’s son Leslie opened Humming Bird Motorcycles in St Albans.
1961
Honda brought its first motorcycles to the UK and Humming Bird Motors was one of the first 12 dealers in the UK to open up a garage selling the new make.
1975
Humming Bird Motors started selling the first Honda Cars in the UK.
1977
After visiting Japan and seeing what Mitsubishi had to offer, Leslie gave up the Honda franchise and brought the first Mitsubishi cars to the UK.
1989
Leslie’s son Larry bought the business from his father and refurbished the dealership. Larry still manages the business to this day and is as hands on as he was back then.
1994
After years of successful growth, Larry Wood opened a second dealership in Finchley with a showroom and workshop at the back.
2000
After growing too big for the current workshop space Larry opened a large ten-ramp Service and Parts centre in Colindale.
2004
Larry’s daughter Lucie Herman, the 4th generation of the Wood family got involved in the business and brought the exciting Kia franchise to Humming Bird’s existing portfolio.
2008
Humming Bird added Suzuki Servicing and Parts to the mix to capitalise on the Aftersales’ continued success over many years.
2010
This year will be the 33rd Anniversary of Humming Bird Motors as a Mitsubishi Main Dealer, making it one of the largest and longest established dealers in the country. It will also be the sixth year as a Kia dealer. Here’s to the 75TH year in the Wood family!
