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Mobile Shops

14th February 1947
Page 36
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Page 36, 14th February 1947 — Mobile Shops
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

Serve a

Scattered

Community

WHEREVER you may go in the VV Evesham district of Worcestershire, you will probably find one of Ward's mobile shops, as even in the most remote country village. where time seems to stand still, a salesman of G. Ward and Sons, Ltd., will be seen selling all types of goods, varying from a pin to a table wringer.

The idea or the mobile shop came to Mr. Ward, senior, when he was in business as a plasterer. He started, as did many of to-day's successful business men, in a very unimportant way in a little shop in a small Evesham street. It was with the help of his wife that he worked up .a really lively business.

Having three young sons, Mr. Ward naturally looked ahead, and the idea of the mobile shop took shape, and eventually developed into an accomplished fact. At the start it was. a one-horsed affair, and although the business progressed, the early days were not by any means all plain sailing. Eventually, a second van was built and another hors.t

purchased, but all these early efforts were negatived by a disastrous fire which occurred in 1917.

Despite this set-back. Mr. Ward started again, and, keeping abreast of the times, he purchased his first motordriven mobile shop, the vehicle being a Ford 7-cwt. van. So many extra lines were needed to cope with the steady increase in trade in the country districts, that a Ford 1-tonner was added.

Backbone of Fords

The 1-tormers were highly satisfactory, and their acquisition—others were purchased later—ended a run of broken axles, which resulted from continuous overloading of the lighter type. Ford vehicles have always played the leading role in the concern of G. Ward and Sons, Ltd., although both Morris-Commercial and Dodge vehicles gave the company excellent service between 1930-40.

As it will be appreciated, the body of such a mobile shop is something of a specialist's job, and the Fordson forward-control model has solved many otherwise difficult problems. Whilst., it gives the maximum show space, the turning circle is such that a high degree . of manceuvrability is provided.

This latter feature is of particular importance, as a_ driver-salesman may have to go up to farmhouses and tura his vehicle around in a restricted space having a particularly bad surface, with chickens, cows and other obstacles to' add to his difficulties.

The display of the van is, of course, of primary importance, as each vehicle carries about 2,000 lines, -ranging from clothes pegs and lines, cups and saucers, saucepans and buckets, to such bulky

articles as wringers, large taper baths, dustbins, and dolly tubs. Mr. Ward says that the concern's salesmen "must be motor-happy,' for they are not mechanics."

The company does not expect its men to be both expert in selling goods and solving the mysteries of motor vehicles. In connection with breakdowns which may develop, despite the most careful maintenance, G. Ward and Sons, Ltd., runs a special van, but when the work is outside the scope of its own organization, Coulter's Garage (Evesham), Ltd., Ford agents, attends to the fault. Incidentally, this concern has handled Ward's business for the past 20 years.

For the reason that the company considers wheel-changing to be too much of a "he-man's" job, spare wheels are not carried on the vehicles; in any case. it is thought that it would take up valuable space which is now utilized to carry bi .tyres and other items.

60 Stops a Day

'Regarding fuel consumption, it is to be expected that this would not be out standingly good. in the first place, some of the vehicles have seen better days, and, secondly, stopping and starting in the hilly district in the Vale of Evesham are frequent. A van may have to stop as many as 60 times a day, during its run of about 30 miles, on roada which are in anything but good condition.

In these days of rationing, the company. has come up against new difficulties, for the cutting out of coupons in exposed areas in a howling gale is no picnic. Then, too, there is paraffin rationing, which necessitates the entry of the quantity of paraffin purchased by every customer. The concern sells, on an average, 15,000 gallons of paraffin and tractor oil a month, so that the amount of work involved on this score alone is heavy.

During the war, 14 of the company's employees went into the Forces, and all,

fortunately, returned safe and sound. 'The rehabilitation of these chaps," says Mr. Ward, "has been another postwar problem, for they came home full a beans, only to be pitchforked into a seething mass of sugar counterfoils, points, tea coupons, and paraffin authorization forms. These men were greatly staggered, and it took months for them

to come out of their coupon.coma."

This enterprising concern is now, more or less, jn full swing again, and is aiming to have 20 mobile shops on the toad by 1950. This compares with a strength of 15 vehicles hi pre-war days_ Mr. Ward's three sons have their appointments in the various departments of the company, and Mr. Ward, senior, who is 72 years of age, is still a particularly active member of the organization_ Mrs. Ward. also a septuagenarian, is

• one of the "back-room girls," as Mr. Ward says, hut her spirit still helps to keep this healthy Mile enterprise together. The motto of the concern is " Onwards," and this is no idle catchword.

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