Covid: Motorcycle showroom opens as vaccine centre

Mr Patel's son Jainil - pictured left with Mr Morris and his father - will be the clinical lead for the vaccination centre

A motorcycle dealership is opening as a Covid-19 vaccination centre.

The Crewe Honda Centre usually stocks about 100 motorcycles, but will now be a community vaccination centre, facilitating up to 1,200 jabs a week.

Owner Roger Morris said pharmacist and his best friend Raj Patel came up with the idea of using the showroom.

The site was then approved by NHS England and the local NHS commissioning group and began vaccinations on Saturday morning.

Mr Morris declined to take any rental payment for the site saying it was a "small gesture" to "help the local community in the fight against the current pandemic."

Mr Morris said he would be donating the space free of charge for 'however long it takes'

The showroom, which has been in the family of Mr Morris for more than 100 years, was undergoing a renovation when pharmacy owner Mr Patel came up with the idea of using the space for vaccinations, he explained.

Since then it had become "a race to clear the building and get it ready for the opening."

"We've had to do an awful lot of work to get it where we needed," the 49-year-old added, "but it is ideal."

"My wife Julie is absolutely exhausted," he said, "she's never stopped."

And he said he is "more than happy to donate the building for as long as it takes."

Staff at the vaccination centre will be administering up to 1,200 jabs a week

He and Mr Patel, best man at his wedding, had known each other for more than 30 years he said.

"It's a great way that two businesses from totally different backgrounds can come together and help the local community," he said.

More than 100 motorcycles have been stored to make way for the vaccination centre