Tayside motor trader Stuart Stout

A PROMINENT motor trader in Tayside, Stuart Anderson Stout, has died at the age of 88.

He formed Stout Brothers with his older brother Marcus in 1951, and they grew the company into one of the biggest car dealerships in the area.

The business at Abernyte became a local institution and daughter Fearn said it was no exaggeration to say a significant proportion of motorists in Dundee, Angus, Perthshire and North Fife drove Stout Brothers cars.

“No matter how much money people had to spend, customers were able to come to Stouts,” she said.

“Car ownership became possible for many people around that time. My dad and uncle served new car customers, would take their trade-ins and sell them to customers looking for something cheaper and take their second-hand cars for customers all the way down to new drivers looking for a banger to run around in.

“There was a car to suit everyone’s budget. The garage pioneered seven-day opening and it was a popular place to go on a Sunday. It wasn’t unknown for families to bring picnics, take a car on a test-drive and have their picnics with it and hours later come back with the car and buy it.

“Customer service was the priority. My dad and uncle would just give people the keys to cars and leave them to take the vehicles for a spin. They built up a very successful business.

“Itwasn’tjustlocalpeople who came. We even had customers from Orkney. Stout is an Orcadian name and people came down to buy our cars so they could show off back home driving a vehicle with a Stout sticker.”

Stuart and Marcus’father Thomas came from Orkney, and he settled in Dundee where he ran a fish and egg business.

The family home was in Abernyte and when a local church building was decommissioned the brothers saw an opportunity to start a motor business. They began with agricultural machinery and, as qualified mechanics, used their profits to buy, upgrade and re-sell cars.

The car trade took off and they negotiated with a local farmer for more property to extend the business. Branches in Marketgait in Dundee, Forfar and Bathgate were added.

Stouts had the new car dealership for cars of the Rootes Group which later became Chrysler, and latterly Peugeot, and their success saw them win many awards in more than 40 years of trading.

Mr Stout and first wife Marjory, who served as secretary for the business, lived at Kinnaird Castle which they renovated. It was during his marriage to second wife Sarah that the award winning rock gardens were developed.

His second marriage ended in divorce. His third wife Audrey died in 2006.

Mr Stout, who was a Justice of the Peace in Perth, had an interest in local history through his involvement with Kinnaird Castle and he was also a noted curler as president of the Rossie Priory Club.

He moved into Longforgan and then to Hampshire before settling in Kingsmuir. He was finally in Tigh- na- Muir n in Monifieth. Brother Marcus predeceased him and he is survived by his daughter, two sons and an extensive family.

His funeral is atAbernyte today.

stuart stout.