Paint brushes replaced spanners, and easels swopped places with vehicle ramps as Fiat Group Automobiles UK marked the official opening of its new Flagship Aftersales Centre in London with a glitzy celebrity art exhibition and charity auction.

The Centre – a purpose-built service, repair, bodyshop and parts facility – will serve new and existing customers from Fiat’s Flagship Store, Fiat Marylebone, in Central London. But on Monday night it hosted a stunning exhibition of paintings entitled Mad Dogs and Englishmen, by TV actor Christopher Ellison.

Christopher Ellison, best known for his character DCI Burnside in TV’s The Bill, produced a 30-strong collection of portraits and pictures which were displayed around the service centre’s newly decorated walls.

Stars from sport and TV, including model Linda Lusardi and actors Todd Carty and Tom Chambers, joined Fiat guests at the special exhibition. And an auction, with prizes including one of Christopher Ellison’s original paintings, a fold-up Fiat 500 bicycle, and a haircut from Ian Carmichael, the Queen’s hairdresser, raised over £1,000 for Shelter, the charity for the homeless.

“We have already held a number of successful events at the Wigmore Street showroom, so it’s good to see we can do a similar job here at the new aftersales site,” comments Tony Dittli, managing director of Fiat Marylebone. “I am also delighted we have been able to give Christopher Ellison’s work the exhibition it deserves.”

Fiat Marylebone Service is situated at Southside Industrial Estate, Havelock Terrace, Battersea. Formerly a theatre props warehouse, the new centre has been completely refurbished to create a modern, fully equipped facility.

After the opening night, Christopher Ellison’s exhibition moved to the Fiat Marylebone showroom in Wigmore Street, central London, and ran until the end of this week.