One Man, One Spanner, One Dream

Malcolm McKinney left school on the 28th of June 1985. Just over a week later, on Monday, July 7th, he began working as an apprentice mechanic at T.D. McFarland Limited in Coleraine, a company formerly known as Lindsays and now operating as Trust Ford. At just 16, he was working 40 hours a week and earning £21.50.

Alongside his job, he attended Tech one day a week starting that September. He remained in the role for five years, completing his apprenticeship and gaining experience in every aspect of the trade.

Once qualified, Malcolm stayed on at the garage and was eventually promoted to workshop controller. It was a busy role, managing the day-to-day running of the workshop. He also began taking on extra work in his own time, doing jobs in the evenings and at weekends.

After several years in the role, one of his regular customers offered him a new job—something completely different, with better pay and more sociable hours. When Malcolm brought the offer to his bosses, they responded with a 2% pay rise. For him, that was the final push he needed.

He turned both offers down and decided to start something of his own.

In June 1995, Malcolm applied for a grant from The Prince’s Trust. He was successful and received a £2,500 repayable loan. With the support of his family, he converted the garage at his parents’ home—Waverley House—into a small workshop. He called the business Waverley Auto Repairs.

Over the years, the business grew steadily from a single-bay setup to a four-bay garage. Malcolm has always prioritised staying up to date with the industry, completing regular training, including qualifications to work on electric vehicles. Today, Waverley offers MOTs, servicing, diagnostics, repairs, wheel alignments, and on rare occasions, even works on boats.

This year, the business is celebrating its 30th anniversary with a rebrand. Waverley Auto Repairs is now Waverley Automotives, a name that reflects the garage's significant growth and evolution. As part of the celebrations, Malcolm chose to give something back by sponsoring this year’s Portrush Raft Race.

Looking back, he says the journey hasn’t always been easy, but it’s been worth it. He’s still learning every day and still enjoys the work, just as he did when he started almost four decades ago.

Waverley Automotives is based at 8 Portstewart Road, Coleraine, BT52 1RN.