FirstGroup has continued its purchase of coach operators with the acquisition of Adwick-le-Street business Wilfreda Beehive.
The South Yorkshire company will be operated by First Bus. Its purchase represents further diversification of the group’s coach portfolio and quickly follows a deal for Bristol operator Eagle Coaches. 45 vehicles and 61 employees are included.
Wilfreda Beehive delivers private hire, home-to-school travel, workplace shuttle contracts, and a tourism programme. All staff will move with the sale and all services, contracts and bookings will be honoured, the buyer says.
Speaking about the decision to sell, director Phil Haxby comments: “Wilfreda Beehive has been proudly serving customers for more than 75 years, building a strong reputation for quality, reliability and personal services.
“My brother Nigel and I have our parents to thank for establishing a unique brand that, together with our fantastic, long-serving team, we have been able to grow to the company it is today.
“We now embark on an exciting new chapter by joining First Bus, which allows us to protect what makes Wilfreda Beehive special while benefiting from the scale, investment and expertise of a national operator, and very much look forward to the challenges ahead in taking the business to the next level.
“Most importantly, it provides reassurance for our customers, colleagues and partners that we have a strong, long-term future, with new opportunities to significantly grow our holiday programme and expand our operations.”
First Bus Business and Coach Managing Director Andrew Jarvis notes how Wilfreda Beehive is a well-respected operator with a loyal customer base and an experienced team. He adds that its extensive holiday programme “complements our existing coach operations.”
Continues Mr Jarvis: “This acquisition supports our ambition to grow a strong, diversified coach portfolio while expanding our operational footprint in key markets. We are delighted to welcome the whole team into the FirstGroup coach portfolio and look forward to supporting [Wilfreda Beehive] in its next phase of growth.”
On further expansion of the First Bus coach portfolio, he adds that the group continues to look for opportunities “that are a strong strategic fit and support our long-term growth ambitions.”
