Eddie Brown going down?

[mikeg]

http://www.northyorks.gov.uk/article/25878/Transport---service-changes-and-news

Just noticed the following on the NYCC website:

Late afternoon on 9 December, Eddie Brown Tours advised us that they would not be able to operate some contracted services with immediate effect including four school services and the local bus services 56, 56A, 57, 57A, 58, 142 and 143.

The school services have now been replaced as follows until the end of term.
•636H now operated by York Pullman
•645H now operated by York Pullman
•653H now operated by York Pullman
•644H now operated by Procters
•57A Boroughbridge School to Knaresborough and Harrogate now operated by York Pullman
•56A Ripon Schools to Knaresborough & Harrogate now operated by York Pullman
•57A St John Fisher & St Aiden's to Knaresborough and Boroughbridge now operated by Harrogate & District Travel
•142 Boroughbridge School to Ripon now operated by Connexions (Harrogate Coach Travel)
•143 Ripon Schools to Boroughbridgenow operated by Connexions (Harrogate Coach Travel).

Services 56, 56A, 57, 57A, 58

These services will be operated jointly by York Pullman, Harrogate and District Travel and our own county council fleet service on Thursday 11 and Friday 12 December. The timetable will be unchanged however there will be no services on Saturday 13 December.

From Monday 15 to Wednesday 24 December these services will be operated by Harrogate and District Travel. The timetable will remain unchanged.

Services 142, 143

These services will be operated by Connexions (Harrogate Coach Travel) until Wednesday 24 December. The timetable remains unchanged. For queries you can contact Harrogate Coach Travel on 01423 339600.

With immediate effect? I thought they had to give notice to the traffic commissioner, etc?

Is this the end of Eddie Brown Tours? If so it doesn't look good for NYCC, which will likely face increased tender costs despite trying to keep public transport subsidies down. Could the bus cuts have been a false economy even purely from NYCC's view?

 

[ECML180]

Can't give much notice if a number of drivers suddenly stick their notice in and call in sick during their notice period! (not saying it's the case here but it is possible)

It isn't unheard of for this sort of thing to happen with other operators having to cover for a bit, but then there are a lot of services they seem to be struggling with there. Possibly they are having some financial trouble but I'd wouldn't put any money on it at this stage, probably won't be long until some more information surfaces.

 

[theblackwatch]

A local firm to me, but I'm sure people all over the country will have spotted their vehicles as they run coach trips all over the country and into Europe. Things don't seem too rosy though, as they have suddenly dropped a load of services with immediate effect - see http://www.harrogate-news.co.uk/201...wn-drop-school-bus-services-immediate-effect/

North Yorkshire County Council pick up the pieces after Eddie Brown drop school bus services with immediate effect
Late afternoon on the 9 December 2014 Eddie Brown Tours advised North Yorkshire County Council that they would not be able to operate some contracted services with immediate effect.
These were four school services and the local bus services 56 57 58 and 142 143.
North Yorkshire County Council were able to arrange alternative provision for the four school services for the following day, along with one school journey which is part of the 142/143 timetable. Unfortunately they were not able to make alternative arrangements to operate the local bus services as to provide the full range of local bus journeys requires 5 vehicles and drivers operating most of the day and this sort of capacity is not easily available.

There are more details of how services are being covered at http://www.northyorks.gov.uk/article/25878/Transport---service-changes-and-news

Eddie Brown do still seem to be running some (school?) services though as I passed one on my way home from work this evening. Apparently there has sudden fleet reduction (with various suggestions regarding the reason), which could explain why they have had to bin certain operations at very short notice. I hope this isn't the beginning of a slippery downward slope for a firm that has been around for many years.

 

[455driver]

Had a visit recently have they?

 

[mbonwick]

Would appear so - I've heard from usually reliable places that they have in fact had their licence authorisation cut.

 

[NorthernSpirit]

Their owner, King Long has had a bit of a run in. All I can say is keep an eye on Tates Travel too because as far as I'm aware its also owned by King Long.

 

[theblackwatch]

It looks like the business had problems earlier this year, as I've just found an article at http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/business...es_60_jobs_at_Eddie_Brown_Tours/?ref=rssabout it being rescued by an 'investor' back in February.

MORE than 60 jobs have been saved as one of Yorkshire’s oldest travel firms is rescued by an investor.

The future of Wetherby-based Eddie Brown Tours was questioned earlier this month when bosses approached KPMG’s Restructuring Services team for help in assessing the options for the business.

After receiving the instructions on February 14, the KPMG team, based in Leeds, has attracted substantial investment from an unnamed investor.

The deal has secured the future of the business, which was established in 1949 when Eddie and the late Gwen Brown began their “Quality Coach Operation” in the Blacksmiths Shop in Helperby.

--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
There's a news article on the Route One website which says that a new company, Eddie Brown Travel Ltd, has been formed and applied for 50 operator's licences.

Wetherby-based Eddie Brown Tours Ltd is embroiled in fresh mystery after suddenly stopping all of its bus services last week, without notice.

While its coach operation continues, a new company – Eddie Brown Travel Ltd – which was incorporated on 14 October, has applied for a 50-vehicle O-Licence, leading to speculation about the firm’s future.

Both firms are owned by Barbados-based Island Fortitude, which also owns dealership Kinglong Direct and a number of other coach and bus operators. The owners of Island Fortitude remain a closely-guarded secret.

 

[talltim]

Their owner, King Long has had a bit of a run in. All I can say is keep an eye on Tates Travel too because as far as I'm aware its also owned by King Long.

Is he concentrating on his porn career?

 

[Ploughman]

Just received an email from Eddie Brown's
Part of which contains this:-

As you are already aware, we secured investment in the business earlier this year after some very difficult trading conditions. Despite the best efforts of our board of investors and the hard work of staff at our Thorp Arch offices, it has not been possible to turn the business around as planned. Sadly the decision has been made to put eddie brown tours into Administration.

Although this is a sad situation to be faced with, arrangements have already been put in place to safeguard the future of our holidays and excursions programme.
Therefore, we are pleased to confirm that your bookings will be unaffected and have been taken over by Yorkshire operator Globe Holidays. This means our day trips and holidays will be trading under their name as Eddie Brown Travel. Your holidays will continue to be bonded for your financial protection as before.

The only immediate difference will be a change of address for our booking office. Our usual telephone number will be diverted to our new office in Barnsley and a number of staff from Thorp Arch will continue to work from this new office. We are sorry that we will not have a local office for you to visit, however over the counter bookings can still be made via our local agents.

Despite the many rumours and negative stories that will unfortunately be doing the rounds as a result of these changes, we can assure you that as far as your holiday and daytrip bookings are concerned, it will remain very much business as usual with Eddie Brown Travel.

You will shortly be receiving your 2015 holiday confirmations, should you have any queries or concerns regarding your booking with us, please do not hesitate to contact us on 01423 321246 when our booking line re-opens on the 5th January.

 

[madmackem]

Can't give much notice if a number of drivers suddenly stick their notice in and call in sick during their notice period! (not saying it's the case here but it is possible).

This is not the case here. As a driver here we were shocked when this happened. I left work, came in the next day to do my school run to find out it had gone. I left at 1800 hrs!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
I have just found out that the weeks wages I was due for being on holiday, I won't be getting. I handed in my notice, no money in bank, told to contact receivers. Absolute shocking disgraceful treatment by the director and transport manager.

 

[Y961 XBU]

Confirmed they are in the stick

http://www.route-one.net/industry/eddie-brown-second-life-new-guise/

Wetherby-based Eddie Brown Tours Ltd has been placed in voluntary receivership after running out of cash.
The decision, which was implemented on 23 December, came after the HMRC petitioned a winding-up order for £300,000.
The firm, which was bought by Barbados-based Island Fortitude earlier in the year, has struggled with historical debt and other issues, which culminated in 28 of its 38 vehicles being taken back by finance companies in mid-December.
Since the firm was bought, more than £250,000 has been put into the business by its shareholders, who are the biggest creditor. This money will be lost by the shareholders.
A new company, Eddie Brown Travel Ltd, will take over some of the work, with it being operated by other coach firms owned by Island Fortitude. Private hire and coach touring contracts have been re-assigned to other non-connected operators. Staff wages were paid immediately before the company was put into receivership.
Director Gary Priest told routeone: “The investors had 48 hours to examine the business when it was sold by KPMG, which meant that the due diligence was not as thorough as it would otherwise have been. After purchasing the firm from the Brown family, a number of financial issues were discovered.
“We’ve worked incredibly hard to try to trade our way out of it, but ultimately the winding-up petition served by HMRC left the shareholders with no alternative, other than to appoint receivers.
“We have set up Eddie Brown Travel Ltd which will continue in a smaller, profitable, form....

 

[theblackwatch]

I had a bit of a surprise on the way to work today, when I passed a 'Wrays' bus. Wrays of Harrogate were a coach company which Eddie Brown took over (around 10 years ago I guess?). It seems the old name has been revived and, at a guess, is now operating some of the former Eddie Brown school contracts. A company check has found that Wrays of Harrogate Ltd was set up last February, with the same registered address as that of Procters Coaches (aka as 'Procters of Bedale').

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

I had a bit of a surprise on the way to work today, when I passed a 'Wrays' bus. Wrays of Harrogate were a coach company which Eddie Brown took over (around 10 years ago I guess?). It seems the old name has been revived and, at a guess, is now operating some of the former Eddie Brown school contracts. A company check has found that Wrays of Harrogate Ltd was set up last February, with the same registered address as that of Procters Coaches (aka as 'Procters of Bedale').

A blast from the past. Seem to recall they had a sort of grey/blue livery with red, white and black featuring?

I assume being a Kevin Proctor firm, it was base dealer white with a blue and gold fleetname?

 

[theblackwatch]

You are pretty correct about Wrays livery, except for the blue - there's a pic of one at https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8078/8444310246_5fb4259355_z.jpg . The return of wrays a blast from the past for me too, as I used to go to primary school on Wrays coaches.

Found a pic of said vehicle which I saw, taken yesterday:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/york-bus/16095381710/

Looking at other pics, it appears this is a York Pullman bus rather than Procters.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

You are pretty correct about Wrays livery, except for the blue - there's a pic of one at https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8078/8444310246_5fb4259355_z.jpg . The return of wrays a blast from the past for me too, as I used to go to primary school on Wrays coaches.

Found a pic of said vehicle which I saw, taken yesterday:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/york-bus/16095381710/

Looking at other pics, it appears this is a York Pullman bus rather than Procters.

It was that blue (beneath the windows, and the skirt) that I was thinking of! That photo brought some memories back