Bristol operator Peter Carol Coaches closed its doors at the end of 2023 after founders Peter and Carol Collis retired.
It follows 60 years in business for the company, which was known for its maroon coaches and a fleet in which the Mercedes-Benz Tourismo was latterly prominent. In a statement on the operator’s website, Mr and Mrs Collis note that they have taken “a very late retirement” and thanked customers for many years of support.
Without that, “our success could not have been possible,” they and their family add. “We have been blessed to have achieved and widely exceeded our planned business expectations due to your continued loyalty.”
Staff “have always understood our ethos and operated to the highest professional standard,” the Collis family adds.
Of those, former General Manager Richard Stephens has moved on to found Chauffeur Elite. In recognising Mr Stephens’ pedigree, the Chauffeur Elite website notes that “the core values of Peter Carol live on” in his “dedication to quality, service and excellence.”
During the 1980s and 1990s Peter Carol operated several notable coaches. Among them was a Van Hool Astrobel-bodied DAF double-decker to a very high specification and with a reputed capacity of just 30 passengers.
Another was a Volvo B12BT with Jonckheere Monaco double-deck bodywork, new in 1994 as a 42-seater and christened the Ascot Suite. Various other lower-capacity, VIP-specification vehicles passed through the fleet.
Naming continued on later coaches, with the business at its closure holding a standard international O-Licence for six vehicles. That authorisation is currently showing as surrender under consideration by the Traffic Commissioner’s office. “All good things must come to an end,” the operator’s website concludes in signing off.
