Painting the Fens red

05/11/2024 Ashleigh Sinclair Features

Adrian was impressed by the quality of workmanship and finish. ADRIAN MORTON

Adrian Morton visits a Cambridgeshire commercial vehicle refinishing company that is fast becoming a leading name across East Anglia

After attending the CPT Ride and Drive event at North Weald Airfield back in late July, my next port of call was to the CBW office in Peterborough. I soon realised my route up the A14 would take me past St Ives in Cambridgeshire, close to a company doing commercial vehicle refinishing and which I was intrigued to find out more about.

That company trades as ‘Den’s All Vehicle Body Shop.’ Several posts had appeared from the firm on social media over the last few months, most notably Facebook. A number of respectable operators appeared to be using its services and the quality of finish looked to be superb. Even after many years of coaching, I cannot recall ever going to St Ives. As I drove round the outskirts of the town, across the River Great Ouse, I looked left to see what looked like a lovely spot in the sunshine for supper, after I had completed my visit.

Out in, quite literally, the middle of nowhere, in the flatness of the Cambridgeshire Fens, the postcode I had, brought me to nothing but fields. Not deterred I carried on. Thankfully, after a few hundred metres an electric gate appeared to my right-hand side. There was an adjacent board listing several different companies, Den’s All Vehicle Body Shop being one of them. My visit was unannounced but thankfully I received a very warm welcome and was treated to a tour of the facilities.

History

Owner Den Wager struck me a true gentleman and an honest type of guy. When I asked how and why he got to have his own business, my initial impression seemed to be true. “When I was younger, I always wanted to run my own business and help people,” he said. Den completed the relevant apprenticeships then started on his own, initially doing mobile repairs that consisted mainly of mechanical work and also some fabrication. This led him more into doing body repairs, and that element of his expertise began to be in constant demand. Den said: “It is important to be truthful, it’s no good telling a customer their bus will be ready in two weeks if you know full well it won’t be.”