Whittles

[Cedric]

apparently drivers will be told at the latest by 20/12/2014 what's happening, this coming from a source which my boss knows...

2 months to leave people dangling..... & just before Xmas, nice!

there already leaving . I feel sorry for some drivers who have not long left diamond to go and work for whittle, just had a thought was it not around this time last year that EYMS announced they where selling finglands .

[winston]

apparently drivers will be told at the latest by 20/12/2014 what's happening, this coming from a source which my boss knows...

2 months to leave people dangling..... & just before Xmas, nice!

there already leaving . I feel sorry for some drivers who have not long left diamond to go and work for whittle, just had a thought was it not around this time last year that EYMS announced they where selling finglands .

Due to on-going uncertainty/Diamond recruitment campaigns, you'll probably find staff will leave in their droves leaving Whittle's unable to provide services and ultimately force closure of the business.

The Finglands sales was announced during early August, not sure when it was put up for sale.

Western Greyhound are having similar problems in Cornwall and appear to be on a downward spiral.

[Reece]

Has anyone heard if any other company's have showed interest in buying Whittles. I do already know about CityFox but has there been anyone else?

[Steveminor]

So that's zero so far then.
The trouble is whittles don't really have anything anyone really wants & the price is far too high for what they have got.
Sunny travel did have a brief look but the price would have to be much lower.

[Cedric]

not as far as I know , according to  whats been in papers  there  are supposed to be a couple of interested parties , but personal I think  they will close by end of the year.  papers refer to whittles being a historical firm. but to me, whittles as it is now has only been going since 2004.

[winston]

not as far as I know , according to  whaacceptable papers  there w are supposed to be a couple of interested parties , but personal I think  they will close by end of the year.  papers refer to whittles being a historical firm. but to me, whittles as it is now has only been going since 2004.

Cedric,

The trouble is 'a couple of interesed parties' doesn't necessarily mean a firm offer will be received that is acceptable to EYMS. CityFox are an interesed party.....

[PM]

I'd think drivers would expect/hope to know well in advance of then-the article referred to EYMS consulting over the weeks to come, not months to come. I think for all parties a speedy sale would be by far the best thing, not only for drivers but also for EYMS who would want to concentrate efforts on their main Yorkshire business, not to mention passengers uncertain about their local bus routes.

[Cedric]

not as far as I know , according to  whats been in papers  there w are supposed to be a couple of interested parties , but personal I think  they will close by end of the year.  papers refer to whittles being a historical firm. but to me, whittles as it is now has only been going since 2004.

Winston
I realize that just quoiting from EYMS press realease 

[Cedric]

Will or Stourport Sam
have any of you seen 163 about lately  I  have not seen it, wonder what will happen to it as in the EYMS fleet list it is shown as on loan to whittles
here are two links  showing that http://www.eyms.co.uk/enthusiasts/current-fleet-print
   http://www.eyms.co.uk/enthusiasts/fleet-list?intselectedpage=2
and strangely whittles are still advertiseing for drivers   some hope of people appling http://www.whittlecoach.co.uk/career.asp

[mikestone]

apparently drivers will be told at the latest by 20/12/2014 what's happening, this coming from a source which my boss knows...

2 months to leave people dangling..... & just before Xmas, nice!

Presumably that is the earliest possible date after statutory staff consultation?

[winston]

apparently drivers will be told at the latest by 20/12/2014 what's happening, this coming from a source which my boss knows...

2 months to leave people dangling..... & just before Xmas, nice!

Presumably that is the earliest possible date after statutory staff consultation?

No idea, if EYMS are in active discussions with a buyer I would hope they would agree a deal asap & announce to staff to remove the uncertainty, with Diamond's on-going re-recruitment drive the longer it drags on more staff will leave, Whittle's may then be unable to operate it's services and closure is forced upon it.

[Isle of Stroma]

No idea, if EYMS are in active discussions with a buyer I would hope they would agree a deal asap & announce to staff to remove the uncertainty, with Diamond's on-going re-recruitment drive the longer it drags on more staff will leave, Whittle's may then be unable to operate it's services and closure is forced upon it.

I struggle to see why anyone would want to buy it. Whittles ops fall into three categories:

a) Tour work
b) NatEx contracts
c) Local stage work

All three categories share one common demominator, that being there's very little potential profit to be had in this case. Tour work being high-risk, the NatEx contracts can be negligible profit wise - before you factor in the unreliability of the Levante's, & as for stage work in Kidderminster, forget it. The fares are ridiculously cheap due to competition. It should therefore come as no shock to hear EYMS have been losing hand over fist.

The only real value of the Company is, as Ced(?) pointed out, the history behind the name. But you can't trade a profit on that these days.

[winston]

No idea, if EYMS are in active discussions with a buyer I would hope they would agree a deal asap & announce to staff to remove the uncertainty, with Diamond's on-going re-recruitment drive the longer it drags on more staff will leave, Whittle's may then be unable to operate it's services and closure is forced upon it.

I struggle to see why anyone would want to buy it. Whittles ops fall into three categories:

a) Tour work
b) NatEx contracts
c) Local stage work

All three categories share one common demominator, that being there's very little potential profit to be had in this case. Tour work being high-risk, the NatEx contracts can be negligible profit wise - before you factor in the unreliability of the Levante's, & as for stage work in Kidderminster, forget it. The fares are ridiculously cheap due to competition. It should therefore come as no shock to hear EYMS have been losing hand over fist.

The only real value of the Company is, as Ced(?) pointed out, the history behind the name. But you can't trade a profit on that these days.

I'm already aware of Whittle's trading losses and that they have grown significantly between Dec 2012 & Dec 2013 (latest published accounts). At best the NX contracts will either be handed back, the coach business may find a buyer or just the name & Goodwill/ tours, private hire & contracts order book. The only value that bus business has is to Diamond to add to it's KR network. As Diamond has shown it's hand via it's recruitment drive, I suspect that Diamond all piling on the pressure by trying to recruit Whittle's staff to force closure, therefore, the stage carriage work that is of interest to Diamond (125 & 192) can be picked up F.O.C by simply registering on former Whittle's routes, the tendered work will no doubt then follow by default.

[Cedric]

latest news on whittles http://www.kidderminstershuttle.co.uk/news/11554075.Staff_exodus_puts_bus_fears_under_threat/hittles 

[winston]

latest news on whittles http://www.kidderminstershuttle.co.uk/news/11554075.Staff_exodus_puts_bus_fears_under_threat/hittles

Not really a surprise.... Whittle's will end up closing and Diamond will pick up the routes they wants for nothing.