E A Downes & Sons Ltd, experts in MOT'S, services, and recovery.

E A Downes & Sons Ltd provides MOT's, services, and recovery, serving Shropshire and Mid Wales within 20 miles.

Clive Pratt started off his journey as a mechanic in his hometown of Church Stretton working for different companies such as J P Woods and himself fixing cars at home. He then found central garage around the age of 27 doing part time work. Central garage was founded in the 1930’s by Tim Mansell, which was later purchase by Cyril Wild in the 1970’s where Clive went on to rent the business in 1983 alongside his brother-in-law John Mackenzie. This also included purchasing equipment and an old land rover attached with a hitch crane displaying the logo of AA and RAC. Within this time in 1984 an AA superintendent walked in for a routine check on garages who had previously worked for the AA. He suggested that they continued to work for them, and this was agreed. 

As the company blossomed it outgrew the building at Burway and the decision was made to place a bid on some ground in crossways in 1990. Low and behold the offer was accepted and the present, purpose-built property was erected. In 1997 the premises The Forge was purchased and in 1999 the rear site of the main central garage Towers garage was purchased. In 2000 they rented E.A.Downes in Shrewsbury where the recovery/ breakdown side of the company expanded. In 2006 they bought the company keeping the good name it has around the local area from Nevil and Moira Bevin. E.A.Downes was established in the 1921 by Edward Downes who just did repairs and MOT’s. When Nevil took over the company in 1983, he added 24 hour breakdown and recovery service.

Clive and John worked very hard to build this business. They overcame many challenges over the years one of which when the garage flooded in Shrewsbury in 2012. In 2016 after the passing of his mother, Clive decided that the two families should part ways and split the company. The partners came to a mutual agreement which left Clive and his wife Anita and their four children with the recovery side of the company and E.A.Downes. Unfortunately, due to bank and solicitors the split never actually happened until 2019/2020 after Clive had passed away in May 2018. At this time before he passed away Clive had been in discussions with Boniface about some new lorries. He purchased a MAN 12ton fully demountable flat bed lorry in the March 2018 and to the families unknowing Clive had also purchased a 7ton Iveco fully demountable flat bed lorry which turned up the morning after he had passed away. Clive had worked closely with Boniface to surprise everyone. 

In 2019 the company invested in a new 4x4 to tow the covered trailer and bike trailer which would also be used as a roadside vehicle. The love for buying new lorries was passed on to his youngest son Samuel, who went on to buy their latest addition to the fleet also from Boniface an Iveco spec fully equipped with dollies. Nevertheless, Samuel had great guidance of his older two brothers before purchasing. Anita runs the overall office and each of the children manage their section. Before Clive passed away he was trying to put Miranda through her operators license for the company, however he became too ill very quickly for this to happen, and the main priority was keeping the business going. Later that year Miranda went on to do the course with the RHA and passed half of it, due to covid it made it harder to get another exam but finally at the beginning of 2021 she passed with great relief. Also, in the year of 2018 Brenden, undertook some exam work to, to become the companies AE which he passed with flying colours after a lot of hesitation but a push in the right direction and a bit of faith got him there.

Clive’s dream was to have a new garage built at the Church Stretton base and follow on with a new garage at Shrewsbury. The refurbished garage in Shrewsbury was completed in 2023. The design of the garage started with Clive and his 3 sons James, Brenden and Samuel. This has opened great opportunities for the business and local area. The garage includes a new MOT ramp and pit to do lorries. A new bate room for the employers including wash facilities and storeroom. The Church Stretton base is still undergoing planning applications, but we hope this will bring job opportunities to the local area.