▁founded ▁the ▁business . ▁He ▁expanded ▁the ▁business ▁from ▁the ▁one ▁deal ership ▁in ▁the ▁north ▁east ▁of ▁England ▁with ▁six ▁staff , ▁to ▁a ▁group ▁of ▁over ▁one ▁hundred ▁deal ers hips , ▁with ▁over ▁ 6 , 0 0 0 ▁staff . ▁▁ ▁He ▁grew ▁the ▁business ▁nation ally ▁representing ▁lux ury ▁and ▁performance ▁cars , ▁such ▁as ▁Roll s ▁Roy ce , ▁Bent ley , ▁A ston ▁Martin , ▁Ferr ari , ▁Mer cedes ▁Ben z , ▁B MW , ▁Land ▁R over , ▁J agu ar ▁and ▁A udi , ▁in ▁addition ▁to ▁the ▁major ▁volume ▁br ands . ▁In ▁February ▁ 2 0 0 5 , ▁he ▁accepted ▁an ▁offer ▁of ▁£ 5 0 6 m ▁from ▁P end rag on , ▁making ▁the ▁en larg ed ▁group ▁the ▁largest ▁car ▁deal ership ▁chain ▁within ▁the ▁United ▁Kingdom . ▁▁ ▁Following ▁the ▁sale ▁of ▁Reg ▁V ard y ▁pl c , ▁the ▁V ard y ▁Group ▁of ▁Comp an ies ▁was ▁launched ▁in ▁Dur ham , ▁compr ising ▁the ▁V ard y ▁Property ▁Group , ▁led ▁by ▁his ▁elder ▁son ▁Richard ; ▁and ▁Peter ▁V ard y ▁Ltd , ▁a ▁new ▁motor ▁group ▁established ▁in ▁Scotland ▁and ▁led ▁by ▁Peter ▁V ard y ▁ ▁V ard y ▁has ▁been ▁awarded ▁several ▁business ▁and ▁industry ▁awards , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁an ▁Honor ary ▁Doctor ate ▁in ▁Business ▁Administration ▁( Univers ity ▁of ▁S under land , ▁ 1 9 9 5 ) ▁and ▁an ▁Honor ary ▁Doctor ate ▁of