The Guild of British Coach Operators has held the first in-person meeting involving all 25 of its members since the dawn of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The gathering was held at the Nailcote Hall Hotel near Coventry earlier in February and it was attended by members from England, Scotland and Wales.
Says Chair Andy Pulham (pictured, front centre), of Cotswold operator Pulham’s Coaches: “During the pandemic, the benefits of Guild membership were highly valued.
“We kept in touch with regular online catchups, enabling our members to network and share best practice through those difficult times. However, there is no substitute for meeting in-person, and for the first time in almost two years all our members were able to get together in one place.
“One of the unique benefits of Guild membership is the ability to freely share information to aid our individual businesses, together with mutual aid. The pandemic has proven that those unique benefits are more valued than ever, as our members not only survived but are thriving, ready to take full advantage of the pent-up opportunities ahead.”
Membership of the Guild of British Coach Operators is contingent on passing what the Guild describes as an exacting independent audit of compliance and quality standard every two years that required 100% adherence. Members meet in person three times per year alongside online gatherings, and seminars in various disciplines are held annually.
