Vehicle hire business launches after property deal

A new vehicle hire business is launching into the Midlands market and has already created five jobs after setting up an engineering and maintenance hub.

Commercial property agency Bulleys has helped businessman Paul Francis secure a unit at The Wallows Industrial Estate in Brierley Hill that will serve his fleet as it expands across the region.

National Vehicle Rentals is based on the 300-strong existing fleet Francis operates from a 100,000 sq ft site in Ross-on-Wye.

The new engineering hub at Brierley Hill supports his plans to open further hubs across Dudley, Birmingham, Coventry and the rest of the Midlands.

He said: “I’ve been running a vehicle business at Ross-on-Wye for a few years and there’s clearly a healthy market for van and car hire. I plan to open a series of hubs, just 500 sq ft to 750 sq ft, with three to five people working at each.

“The first hub at Brierley Hill will provide the engineering and maintenance back-up as the business expands and further hubs open.”

Francis worked with Angela Holland, the agency assistant at Bulleys, to secure a £6,500 per annum three year lease on the 1,001 sq ft Unit 22 at The Wallows.

Holland said: “With our extensive knowledge of the commercial and industrial property market across the region, this is exactly the kind of ambitious business we can assist in finding the right premises.

“We look forward to working further with Mr Francis as his business continues to expand across the region.”