Napoleon Garage scoops top national trophy in The Motor Ombudsman’s Star Awards
Napoleon Garage in Bradford, Yorkshire, has won this year’s National Star Award trophy
The independent garage, which is celebrating its centenary, beat seven other Regional Star Award winners to the top title – the highest accolade of The Motor Ombudsman contest
The annual Star Awards competition invites customers to shine the spotlight on Motor Ombudsman-accredited businesses and individual team members who have gone above and beyond the call of duty when assisting them
The National Star Award trophy will be formally presented at next week’s Hero Awards at the Houses of Parliament in the heart of London, as part of a continued partnership with the ceremony hosted by the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI)
The Motor Ombudsman has announced that Napoleon Garage in Bradford, Yorkshire, is the winner of the National Star Award for 2025. The prestigious accolade, which has been bestowed to the business as it celebrates its centenary in the Yorkshire city, is the top prize in the Ombudsman’s annual Star Awards competition – a contest which allows motorists to recognise Motor Ombudsman-accredited businesses and individual team members across the country who have gone beyond the call of duty when assisting them.
To find this year’s Regional Star Award winners and finalists, and the name to be etched on to the highly sought after national trophy, customers were invited to submit online nominations for independent garages and franchise dealerships, detailing how they excelled in the motorists’ time of need, and where gestures of kindness, generosity and altruism made the all-important difference.
These entries were then whittled down by The Motor Ombudsman based on the written explanations from consumers to create a shortlist of 24 finalists across eight regions spanning the UK, stretching from the Cornwall coastline to the Shetland Isles. They were then passed to a judging panel comprising motor industry and consumer experts to reach a joint consensus on this year’s winners, and those submissions that were deemed the two worthy finalists in each category.
In what was a closely fought contest, five independent garages and three franchise dealerships claimed victory in this year’s Regional Star Awards. Despite facing stiff competition from last year’s National winner AJ Fleetcare in Leeds, and a technician at a Cheshire car dealership – who had also received glowing testimonials, Napoleon Garage was chosen by judges as this year’s trophy holder for the North.
The independent garage was commended for venturing out of hours on a cold and dark Sunday night after receiving a call from a customer’s sister to help their shivering parents suffering from ill health, and the nominee’s anxious daughter, after their vehicle had broken down on the side of a busy road, and where the breakdown service was unable to assist them that evening. Without hesitation, the team at Napoleon Garage went to rescue them, taking the family safely back home, and the car to their premises, getting it back on the road within just 48 hours.
The latest Regional Star Award recipients also saw two garages become the most successful ever regional winners since the Star Awards competition made its debut in 2020. The first – Garej Arwyn Cyf, an independent garage near to Anglesey, claimed their third consecutive trophy for Wales, whilst Courtwood Car Services in Middlesex also scored back-to-back wins for the southern region, making it a hat-trick of victories to date.
To determine the name that would grace this year’s National Star Award, which will be presented next week at the Houses of Parliament in London, thanks to an ongoing partnership with the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI)’s Hero Awards, Napoleon Garage, alongside the seven other regional trophy holders, were then brought together once again for the final evaluation of the session. With each of the winning entries considered on their own merits, it was the nomination for the long-established Bradford business that once again shined the brightest, and saw them named this year’s recipient of the prestigious trophy and £2,000 in high street vouchers.
Azhar Mahmood, Director of Napoleon Garage, said: “We were highly commended in last year’s Star Awards contest, so to go one better and win both our region and the national prize, is a true honour. We were blown away when we found out that we had won, and to celebrate such a special anniversary with a top motor industry award is the icing on a cake, and adds another important moment to our history.”
Azhar added: “We would like to thank all customers who nominated us this year, and we value their continued support and loyalty, which ultimately has allowed us to thrive and grow. We will be celebrating this incredible achievement as a team, and proudly showing off our trophies to everyone that walks through the door.”
Bill Fennell, Chief Ombudsman and Managing Director of The Motor Ombudsman, said: “The calibre of entries in this year’s competition was extremely high, with so many great examples of accredited businesses and individual staff members going the extra mile to do whatever is needed to help, thanks to their proactive approach.”
Bill added: “Napoleon Garage embodies what our Star Awards ultimately recognise – going far beyond what would ordinarily be expected in the working day, and choosing to use their own time out of hours to help someone else that found themselves in a very challenging situation – both mentally and physically. It was a unanimous decision amongst the judging panel that Azhar Mahmood and his team should be on the top step this year, and it is an honour presenting the trophy to Napoleon Garage in the very special surroundings of the Houses of Parliament.”
Neil Barlow, Head of Vehicle Policy and Engineering at the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) – a judge for the 2025 Star Awards, said: “I would like to thank The Motor Ombudsman for involving us for a third consecutive year on the judging panel for their Star Awards.
“It's encouraging to see that standards were very high across all entries this year and I'd like to congratulate the team at Napoleon Garage on their success. They should be very proud of their achievement.
“This award really demonstrates the excellent standards of service that exist in the industry and sets a great example to others on how to build and maintain strong customer relationships.”