The Mathewsons story: From Bedfordshire garage to Bangers & Cash

The business began in 1970 in Bedfordshire, selling new cars and commercial vehicles. Even then, according to the company's own history, Derek Mathewson's true passion was vintage and classic cars, and some of those early buys are still in the family collection (Mathewsons, About us).

Through the 1970s and 1980s the firm grew into vehicle contract hire and leasing, supplying vehicles across the UK. For most of its first two decades, then, Mathewsons was a working motor trade business rather than a classic car one.

With family connections in the north and many holidays in the area behind them, the family moved to North Yorkshire in 1988. The Bedfordshire operation was kept on at first, in case they did not settle, and was sold in the late 1980s (Mathewsons, About us).

The first Yorkshire garage was in Scarborough, bought in 1988. Malton followed in 1990 and Pickering in 1992. Through the 1990s the main business was two franchised dealerships, with classic and vintage cars running alongside as a smaller side of the trade. Over time, as the private collection grew, the classic side became the firm's only focus.

In 2011 Mathewsons held its first classic car auctions, at its museum and showroom premises in Thornton-le-Dale (Mathewsons, About us). The company later added a showroom unit about a mile from the village, giving undercover space for more than 100 extra cars and motorbikes as well as memorabilia.

By 2017 the sales were being reviewed in the classic car press. A review of a December sale reported a 1968 Lotus Elan SE among the top lots, sold to a telephone bidder for £28,160, and quoted the company's plan to hold nine auctions in 2018 (Classics World).

In 2019, the family says, two separate television companies approached them within months of each other about a fly on the wall programme, and they decided to give it a go with one of them (Mathewsons, Meet the Mathewsons).

Bangers & Cash, made by Air TV, first aired on Yesterday on 18 April 2019. In the first episode the family collected a rusty 1965 Austin Mini Cooper S from a garage, which went on to sell for £18,000 (Air TV, April 2019).

The audience grew quickly. Series 2, launched in February 2020, averaged 392,000 viewers, and its final episode drew 519,000, which Air TV described as the most watched factual programme on Yesterday since 2012 (Air TV, August 2020). In October 2021 UKTV commissioned a spin off, Bangers & Cash: Restoring Classics, to air in 2022; by then series 4 had averaged 555,000 viewers (ATV Today). Our Restoring Classics guide covers that programme.

Behind the camera, Air TV's executive producers are Andy Joynson and Morland Sanders, the series producer is Gregor Stewart, and Toby Foster narrates (Advanced Television, July 2025). Our production team page has more.

In March 2023 more than 3,000 fans came to a Bangers & Cash event at The Motorist in North Yorkshire (Air TV, March 2023). That August the first Bangers & Cash Live was held at Scampston Hall, near Malton, billed as UKTV's first commercial live event (Advanced Television). The same month UKTV ordered 46 more episodes across four new series, plus two more series of Restoring Classics (Air TV, August 2023).

The live event returned to Scampston Hall in August 2024. It sold out, traffic on the roads around it came to a standstill, and a documentary followed the family behind the scenes (YorkMix).

On 31 July 2025, the day series 12 premiered, Air TV announced UKTV's biggest ever order: four more series of Bangers & Cash, 52 episodes, and four more of Restoring Classics, 20 episodes, with new episodes airing into 2028 (Air TV; Advanced Television). In 2026 the live weekend moved to the Great Yorkshire Showground in Harrogate as Mathewsons Live, on 22 and 23 August; our live events page has the details and its sources.

Mathewsons now holds three day sales of up to 900 lots at its Pickering saleroom through the year, plus the sale at the live event (Mathewsons, Upcoming auctions); our auction dates page lists them. The family's own collection stands at around 75 classic cars and 50 motorbikes, along with classic commercial vehicles and automobilia (Mathewsons, About us).

It is still a family business. Derek founded it, his sons Paul and Dave work alongside him, as do his grandsons Charlie and Jack, and Sarah runs the office (Classics World). Our who's who covers everyone you see on screen.

The gift shop is at Roxby Garage, Pickering Road, Thornton-le-Dale, the family's original site in the village (Mathewsons, Planning a visit). The Pickering saleroom opens to the public only during the viewing week before each sale. Our Visiting Mathewsons and gift shop pages have opening times and what to expect.