Costs are rising. Finding skilled people remains difficult. Vehicle technology is moving quickly. Investment decisions are getting bigger. And all of this is happening while owners still have customers to look after, teams to manage and workshops to keep running.

So, when CAT Magazine recently asked whether independent garages are in trouble, it wasn't an unreasonable question.

The article brings together views from the IAAF, IGA and garage owners themselves, and the pressures they highlight are very real. IAAF Chief Executive Mark Field describes running an aftermarket business in the UK as "extremely tough", despite most of its members seeing growth, while the IGA points to pressures including business rates, employment law, compliance and rising fuel, energy, rent, labour and equipment costs.

The Motor Ombudsman's 2026 outlook reinforces that picture. Its research found that 92% of repair businesses expect rising operating costs, taxes and bills to be their biggest challenge this year. Some 68% anticipate rising parts prices, while 45% expect recruiting qualified and experienced technicians to remain difficult.

But pressure and failure are two very different things.

The breadth of decisions has changed

Having worked with independent garages for many years, I've seen first-hand just how resilient this sector is. These are businesses that have continually adapted to changing vehicle technology, regulation, customer expectations and economic conditions.

What I think is different now is the sheer breadth of decisions landing on the owner's desk.

Being technically good at what you do remains fundamental. But today's garage owner also needs to think about people, finance, property, technology, investment, profitability and regulation – often while still being heavily involved in the day-to-day running of the workshop.

Then there are the bigger decisions.

Do I invest in this site? Do I take on another technician? Should I expand? Could acquiring another garage be the right next step? How do I finance that growth? Where do I want the business to be in five or ten years? And, for some owners who have spent decades building a business, there will eventually be another question: what happens when I want to step away?

None of these questions means there is anything wrong with the business. They are part of owning, developing and ultimately deciding the future of it. What I think has changed is the breadth of expertise an owner may need around them to make those decisions.

A larger organisation might have access to a finance director, HR team, property specialists and strategic advisers. An independent garage owner is often expected to wear all of those hats themselves.

The right expertise at the right time

That's why the current industry conversation is so important.

Organisations such as the IAAF and IGA play a vital role in representing independent garages and highlighting the pressures facing the sector. But alongside that industry-wide support, I believe there is also a growing need to ensure individual garage owners can access the right expertise when they are making decisions about their own businesses.

That isn't about telling experienced garage owners how to run their garages. They know their businesses better than anyone.

It's about making sure they have the right people around them when they need them – whether that's expertise in business performance, finance, people, property, acquisition, growth or succession.

Every garage is different

Every garage is different. So is every owner's ambition for it.

For me, the important thing is making sure that, as our industry continues to change, independent garage owners have the support they need to make informed decisions about what comes next. Because supporting the people behind these businesses is ultimately one of the ways we protect and strengthen the sector for the future.