The tour operation has been purchased from Seven Sisters Bus & Coach and will become part of Brighton & Hove Buses
The Go-Ahead Group has agreed a deal to acquire open-top bus operator Eastbourne Sightseeing from Seven Sisters Bus & Coach. The business runs scenic bus tours of Eastbourne, Beachy Head, Birling Gap and the surrounding areas, and will become part of Go-Ahead’s Brighton & Hove Buses division, expanding the group’s presence in the East Sussex area.
Based at a depot in Ringmer, near Lewes, Eastbourne Sightseeing owns nine open-top vehicles, used to provide seasonal tours along the seafront of Eastbourne and into the South Downs National Park. Brighton & Hove plans to retain the Eastbourne Sightseeing brand and use its website and marketing expertise to grow demand. Go-Ahead says it will also explore partnership marketing opportunities between Eastbourne Sightseeing and its Southern Rail franchise.
Ed Wills, Managing Director of Brighton & Hove Buses, said: “Eastbourne Sightseeing is a thriving operator offering terrific tours in one of the most scenic parts of the south coast. We intend to build on its success, invest in the business and look at opportunities for expansion.”
The purchase expands on Go-Ahead’s recent purchases; it has bought three regional bus companies in the last 14 months – Dartline in Devon, Southdown in West Sussex and Pulham & Sons in the Cotswolds.
Matt Carney, CEO of The Go-Ahead Group’s bus division, said: “Go-Ahead is an ambitious company with an eye for expansion in the regional bus industry. We aim to invest in communities across the UK and to grow the popularity of bus travel. I’m delighted to welcome Eastbourne Sightseeing into the Go-Ahead Group.”
David Mulpeter, Managing Director of Seven Sisters Bus & Coach, said: “I’m delighted to see the Eastbourne Sightseeing service join Brighton & Hove Buses and the wider Go-Ahead family. We’re incredibly proud of the success of this open top route over the last few years and I have every confidence that the team at Brighton & Hove will continue building and developing the service for the future”
The Go-Ahead Group operates 15 open top bus tours around the UK, including in Oxford and Newcastle as well as seaside routes in towns such as Clacton and Scarborough and on the Isle of Wight. The Group believes the open top bus market in Britain is worth an estimated £150 million in revenue annually industry-wide.
