Somerset operator Bakers Dolphin has taken the first step in a major investment in its future by removing coaches from its Locking Road parking area and transferring them temporarily to another location in Weston-super-Mare ahead of the establishment of new head office facilities.
They will remain undercover and secure at the temporary location until restrictions on movement brought about by the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic are lifted.
However, the move has nothing to do with the COVID-19 situation, says Managing Director Max Fletcher. Instead, it is because the Locking Road site has been earmarked for redevelopment.
“In due course we will announce plans for our new purpose-built headquarters. Negotiations are at an advanced stage and we intend to stay in our home town of Weston-super-Mare, where we are a major employer and contributor to the local economy,” Mr Fletcher explains.
The Bakers Dolphin offices and workshops remain in Locking Road for now, although the company says that most staff are subject to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme. Some home-to-school services continue to operator for key workers’ children, while some drivers are working with Bristol Ambulance Emergency Medical Services to support the NHS.