Changing faces at motor dealership
Ill health forces sale of Murdo’s business
It was the end of a era in Doune this month when Murdo Murchison handed over his long-established garage and car sales business.
The 58-year-old has been diagnosed with terminal cancer and retirement has been forced upon him.
However, surrendering the reins of the firm to the son of an old friend has given him some comfort.
Murdo (58) had been trying for 18 months to sell the business but it was not until he joined Facebook in mid-September and connected with old friend John MacFadgen that he succeeded.
John’s wife Morag was born on the Hebridean island of Scalpay, where Murdo’s wife Margaret grew up.
John was area manager for Saab in Scotland while Gavin was manager with Peter Vardy in Perth and it was Gavin who agreed to take on the business.
Murdo said: “The handover was a bittersweet day for me and at the same time an exciting new beginning for Gavin, who has both the determination and acumen to build up and enhance the business.
“In life you cannot do everything and maybe I went off trying to engage in too many activities away from work. Motor trade is a tough, competitive and demanding environment but Gavin gets that.”
Life “turned upside down” for Murdo on August 30 when he collapsed with a major seizure and within six hours had the result of a CT scan, showing a 2cm tumour in his brain.
Since then he has been through both surgery and intensive treatments but doctors have told him the cancer is incurable and the aim is now to extend his life for as long as possible.
Murdo, a founder of Stirling Free Church, has found comfort in his faith and in the many prayers of the congregation as well as his family, particularly Margaret “without whom much of what was achieved in life would not have been possible”.
He said: “A dog, cat or monkey will live for the day so you must learn to live in that manner, enjoy each day, think positive thoughts each day.
“The dedicated and professional medical people want me to live, friends and all my family want me to live and I want to live, even supposing there is a bit of suffering.
“Furthermore I do believe that life, no matter the quality, is a gift from God.
“Being your own boss is a privilege which, within reason, allows you to do as you please and over the years this had the distinct advantage of giving me the opportunity to engage in other activities; preaching, Gideons, local Haldane Trust, local Rotary, flying, keeping a big garden as well as general trustee work for the Free Church of Scotland.
“I also did a bit of property development which was very satisfying.”
His most recent assignment away from business was to spearhead the formation of a new Free Church in Stirling.
Murdo is the third generation of his family to be in the motor trade.
Younger brother Ian is the third generation in the Kyle of Lochalsh business M Murchison & Sons, renamed by him to Murchison’s.
John MacFadgen said Gavin would continue to trade under the Murdo Murchison banner and added: “My relationship with Murdo stretches back to the 1980s, before Gavin was born, and it is no mean task to step into the shoes of Murdo, who has spent his life building up a thriving business in the Stirling area.
“We want to continue with the excellent name on which Murdo has built his brand.”
The handover was a bittersweet day for me