Franchise group Gowrings announced a shake-up of the business which will see it quit selling cars and refocus on its Burger King restaurants.

The group has sold a Ford dealership and body repair centre to privately-owned City Motor Holdings for about £2.3 million.

It has agreed to sell two other Ford dealerships in a separate deal.

The disposals mean Gowrings will be left with 43 Burger King restaurants, three body repair centres and a media training business, and marks the end of an association with Ford going back almost 80 years.

Chief executive Derek Coulson said: "We have for some time been reviewing the strategy of the group and believe an exit from the Ford dealership business is in the best interest of shareholders and employees.

"The sales mark a significant step in the implementation of our decision to concentrate on our restaurant division."

Gowrings , the second largest UK franchisee of Burger King after catering giant Compass, has been hit by tough conditions.

BSE and foot-and-mouth disease knocked consumer confidence about eating meat while the tough economic climate and September 11 meant fewer tourists were visiting its restaurants.

Gowrings' motor division has fared better and in May the group said its trading was in line with last year's record performance.

Finance director David Gray said: "In terms of motor companies, we're quite small but in terms of restaurants, we're not. We could not have achieved the scale we needed in the motor division."

City Motor Holdings is paying Gowrings £1.4 million for the dealership plus up to £900,000 for car stocks.