Giant coach group
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ONE OF Europe's largest coach tour operating groups has been created in North-West England by the take-over of Altrinchambased Shearings Holidays by the Associated Leisure Group, which already owns the Smith Happiway Spencers group at Wigan.
Associated Leisure is understood to have paid around £6m for all of the share capital of the Altrincham business, which is expected to continue operating as a separate entitity.
Since the takeover Associated Leisure itself has been the subject of an £64m takeover by the Pleasurama casino group The implications of the second, larger takeover are not yet known and will not be until the first board meeting of the newly constituted board next week.
The new board at Shearings at present consists of John Beaumont, who remains managing director, John Harris, Brian Wood, Eric Lomax (from the Smiths group) who will be involved in vehicle matters, and Nat Solomon from Associated Leisure. Don Jackson, the pre sent Shearings group chairman is retiring.
The combined group fleet numbers over 300 coaches.
Both Shearings and its Shropshire subsidiary Salopia are expected to trade as at present. They will retain their present identities.
Shearing's coach-buying policy does seem likely to change and is expected to come more into line with that of the Wigan operator.
At present Shearings' fleet includes a large number of Daf MB coaches fitted with Plaxton bodies, while the majority of new coaches being added to the Smiths fleet are Van Hoolbodied Volvo MM.
Mr Beaumont told CM that the merits of both types of coach were being considered and it was likely that Shearing's chassis supplier would be changed, although he hoped that the fleet could retain its all-Plaxton body policy.