Unable to operate tours since the beginning of the most recent lockdown, and after a year of turmoil due to Government restrictions, an Isle of Wight tour operator has revealed some of the challenges it has faced during the pandemic.
With travel barred by Government restrictions during the coronavirus pandemic, it’s not just been the Island’s hospitality industry that has suffered, with several of the Island’s coach tour operators also suffering from the lack of visitors.
Wootton-based coach hire business, Wight Coaches, takes Islanders on trips across the country and European Union and works with local groups to provide transport for school trips – almost all of which have been cancelled.
With the hiring of coaches being season orientated, the company – owned by locals Josh Harris and Ben Cooke – has also seen its wedding, corporate and festival-related income dwindle.
Wight Coaches director, Josh Harris, said:
“We carried out some tours during the months of September and October, but with lockdown in place and the uncertainty that comes with it, we have not operated any tours since early November and our vehicles have been off the road ever since.
“Our busiest times of year would usually be during the summer and during the tinsel and turkey season, and for both we did not carry out any trips.”
With the reduction in trade, Josh and his team have made use of the government furlough scheme, helping to protect the jobs of the company’s drivers and office staff. Despite that, the costs of running vehicles have persisted. Josh added:
“We have been fortunate that our drivers have been furloughed, but the vehicles themselves still have costs when they are not being used, which includes insurances, parking charges and office costs.
“The Confederation of Passenger Transport estimates usage of coaches is down 90 per cent since the pandemic, and this has resulted in the closure of a lot of coach companies.
Some tour companies have not been fortunate enough to withstand the pandemic, however, with long-standing coach operator IOW Tours announcing its closure in November, after 30 years of successful operation. Its former offices in Lake will now be turned into flats, as previously reported by Island Echo.
Wight Coaches director Josh commented:
“We are now 1 of only 3 coach hire businesses to still be operating on the Island.
“We are fortunate to still be trading, and we’re looking forward to what we hope will be a busy remainder of 2021 once lockdown is lifted. We are already receiving a number of bookings.
“We have made a number of changes to how we operate, including installing hand sanitiser stations on vehicles, requiring passengers to use face masks for the foreseeable future, and we have provided training to our drivers and put policies in place for sanitising vehicles after each trip.”
