The complete History of Falles Motor Group
Falles Motor Group is an independent family-owned company, which has been trading since 1926 when the business was started by the current chairman’s grandfather, JPV “Jack” Falle.
There were few opportunities to learn ‘hands on’ motor engineering in Jersey, so Jack Falle went over to England and served his engineering apprenticeship at Humm & Company Motor Engineers in Plymouth. In those days automobile engineering was at the forefront of technology innovation and as an apprentice, Jack was benefitting from this information and new technology.
Jack returned to Jersey as a qualified motor engineer where he joined the team at the Paragon Garage in Halkett Place. He was eventually promoted to foreman there, but within a few years he started his Falle’s Motor & Engineering Works from small workshop premises in Norcott Road, St. Saviour, where the business serviced and repaired all kinds of motor and marine engines as well as machining parts for all kinds of motors. In those early days, the motor car was still in its infancy, and dedicated parts departments did not yet exist then, many of the parts and mechanical components had to be machined from by hand on belt-driven lathes.
In 1936, due to an expanding business, Jack moved into bigger premises just around the corner in Bagot Road and it is on this site where the company’s Bagot Road Garage premises are today. These premises were originally a blacksmith’s forge and for many years Jack relied upon an old Blackstone oil engine, which ran on a mixture of waste engine oil and diesel, to generate all the electricity that he needed for his business.
In 1952, after returning to Jersey from his working travels in Canada, JPV “John” Falle, joined his father in the business and the following year the company started hiring cars out to visitors, initially with a very small fleet of just a few cars.
Five years later in 1958, the old iron shed which fronted the road and which housed the repair workshop was demolished, to be replaced with new larger purpose-built garage premises which included a new workshop, lubrication and wash bay, a car showroom and a new pull-in petrol forecourt, replacing the need to serve petrol across the pavement. The demolition of the old workshop iron shed building only came about because John Falle managed to get his father and mother out of the way by treating them to a weekend away to Guernsey to celebrate their wedding anniversary and his demolition team and builders got started on site as soon as Mr. & Mrs. Falle had embarked on their weekend break to Guernsey. On his return, Jack Falle was horrified to see his beloved workshop gone and decided there and then that it was time to “hang up his overalls” and let his son, John, run the business from there on.
By this time the business was formally registered as Falles Motor Works Limited and whilst it’s head office and main premises were at Bagot Road, by the late 1950s the company had secured the Mobylette scooter agency at premises in Halkett Place and it had also purchased land near the Airport on La Route des Quennevais, where it built and opened a new purpose-built petrol station and repair workshop, which was called Falle’s Airport Garage.
By the early 1960s the company’s various activities and operations were expanding quickly. As a business in its own right by then, Falles Hire Cars, had a fleet of between 400 to 500 cars, operating out of premises from Bagot Road, the Airport Garage and with a repair workshop premises in Roseville Street. Visitor numbers to the Island were increasing year on year and at this rate the company managed to purchase a couple of properties on the opposite south-side of Bagot Road, which were then converted to house the ever-growing garage and hire car business and a general office was also created here.
By 1966 the company employed 19 mechanics and garage hands and 24 office and administration staff at both the Bagot Road Garage premises
Also in this year, the company were appointed official sub-dealers for Renault and within a few years managed to persuade Renault to appoint them as official main dealers, as they were selling far more cars than the Island’s official main Renault dealer and the company is very proud that it is still today operates the Island’s sole Renault dealership from the same premises at Bagot Road Garage.
During the 1970s and 1980s, Falles Hire Cars became the largest car hire business in the Channel Island’s running a fleet of up to 2,000 cars in the height of the season, also setting up a branch close to St Helier harbour and another at Southampton Airport, in order to cope with demand.
However, with holidaying trends changing, inevitably visitor numbers started to decline towards the end of the 1990s and Falles Hire Cars fleet was wound down and sold in 2003.
In the same year, John Falle jnr’s son, Helier Falle, joined the company and was appointed chairman of the group, after having spent time studying and working in England. Under Helier's leadership, Falles Motor Group has continued to grow and evolve while remaining true to its family values and commitment to outstanding customer service. His vision and dedication have successfully guided the business through decades of change, culminating in the proud celebration of the company's 100th anniversary in 2026.