Following the successful take-over of A C Williams Coaches, the new management is bringing ahead major investment and increased staffing to cope with a surge in bookings recorded during the first two weeks of operation.
Under the new ownership, total sales for the two weeks to March 31 are 30% ahead of already ambitious targets set for the company. Bookings for future trips are running at more than four times typical rates recorded during the same period last year and there has been a big increase in private hire and contract enquiries.
Now, it will be hiring two new employees to help cater for the demand for bus and coach services.
It will also be extending its schedules for excursions in July and August and later in the year to cater for the demand. The team wants to expand the coach holiday market and is tripling the number of longer holidays to at least 30 next year, including the Rhine Valley and Italy.
The firm has already committed over £25,000 of investment in the maintenance workshop and the coaches, including a new compressor and sophisticated diagnostic software for its flagship Scania executive coaches.
The new owner, executive chairman Glen Pratt, said: “We have taken well over £40,000 worth of new bookings in the first two weeks of new ownership and actual sales are running well ahead of budget. The bookings are from both existing and new customers, and we now need to add to our schedules, with half of day trips and a quarter of holidays already sold out. We have not even released our brochure yet, which usually creates a big spike in bookings.”
