Our founder Leonard Bennett, worked with vehicles his entire life. His experience in the motor industry began in 1914, with an apprenticeship in the Motor Transport Department of the Hammersmith Distillery. He left during WW1 to join the Royal Flying Corps in 1917, and in 1939 he joined the Royal Army Service Corps as a motor instructor and organiser. On demobilisation in 1945 he started working on bicycles as motor cars were scarce and petrol was rationed.
It was after WW2 in 1947, when Leonard together with a friend, managed to secure a space for a stall on St. Alban’s Saturday market. In the meantime, his son David, at that time a student, was already spending his spare time repairing and dismantling cars, including Austin Sevens which he also sold.
David Bennett’s 1933 Austin Seven Tourer, owned by the family since 1963
1954
May 17 1954, saw Leonard Bennett, his wife Queenie and son David rent premises in Normandy Road, St Albans and L Bennett & Son was officially launched. Importantly, the business name was registered with the Board of Trade allowing the company to have its first bank account with Barclays Bank!
In 1956 Bennetts acquired a Buma Boring Bar, enabling us to re-bore customers’ engines, and in 1957 we were able to purchase Butler and Angel’s piston ring stock, old machinery and employ our first full time engineer, Wilf Fensome, who was joined later that year by Brian Rowe.
Also in May 1954– Roger Bannister runs the first sub-four minute mile
1960s
David Bennett with a young employee at 21 Normandy Road
1970s
Also in the 1970s, world oil crisis
1980s
Also in the 1980s, the first model of the IBM PC, was released
1990s – 2000 and beyond
1991: Bennetts embarked on promotion of exhaust parts resulting in a trebling of exhaust sales.
2012: New branches opened in Cheshunt, Harlow, Luton, and Bishop Stortford.
2014: Bennetts expanded further into Ely, Biggleswade and Wisbech.
2016: New branch opened in Newmarket.
David Bennett, Chairman & Co-Founder, sadly passed, confidently leaving the company in the capable hands of his sons: John and Mark Bennett.
2017: New branch opened in Potters Bar.
2018: New branches opened in Billericay and Royston.
2019: New branches opened in Brentwood and Hertford.
2020: New branch opened in Bridgnorth.
2021: New branches opened in Wembley, Enfield, and Park Royal.
2022: New branches opened in Market Drayton and Basildon.
2023: New branches opened in Southend, Stevenage Hub, Southall, Winsford, and Cannock.
2024: New branches opened in Lichfield, Hoddesdon, Ruislip, Slough, Noke (Autobitz), Canvey Island, and Chesham. The expansion of our Welwyn warehouse led to the relocation of our Head office to Noke, St Albans in February 2024.
Stevenage MP Stephen McPartland visited Bennetts Car Parts, praising the company:
“I am truly impressed by Bennetts Car Parts’ commitment to quality,
customer service, and community engagement.” – Stephen McPartland MP
2025: New branches opened in Barnet, Knutsford, Great Dunmow, Edmonton, Peterborough and Bicester.
Partnerships with Oaklands College and the University of Hertfordshire were formed,
marking the beginning of the Bennetts Apprenticeship Programme.
As part of our commitment to a greener future, we’ve taken major steps to reduce our environmental impact. We have begun installing solar panels across our branches, starting with Welwyn Garden City, where 258 panels are now producing 115 pkWh of clean energy. Alongside this, we’ve invested in over 20 electric vans to help lower our carbon footprint while keeping deliveries efficient. These initiatives mark just the beginning of our journey toward sustainability, as we continue to expand our green practices across the business.
Today Bennetts employs more than 300 staff, distributes stock to the trade using 200 commercial vehicles, and has 53 branches in the UK. We trade within an IFA buying group of approved suppliers to the automotive industry and public, including brands such as Blue Print, Brake Engineering, Draper Tools, Sealey Tools, Valeo, KYB, Gates, Autodata, Sykes Pickavant, Euroflo, Wix Filtration, NGK, Febi, FAI and many others.