Rising demand drives classic car company to relocate
THE UK’s largest classic car company has expanded into new premises in Worcestershire following a boom in business.
Great Escape Classic Car Hire, founded in 2006 by Graham and Janine Eason, has moved from Astwood Bank Business Park to new premises at Dunlop Road, Hunt End, Redditch.
It has taken a five-year lease on a 4,810 sq ft unit.
Great Escape, which operates a 60-strong fleet, rents and leases classic cars to people celebrating a birthday, anniversary, wedding or other special occasion. It also provides cars for self-drive, TV, film and advertising as well as corporate events across the UK.
The firm started with just two cars – a Jensen Interceptor and an Alfa Romeo Spider. The fleet now covers everything from 1950s Morris Minors to modern Jaguars. It has operations in Devon, Yorkshire and the Cotswolds plus a network of smaller owner-operated sites in Shropshire, Leeds, the Peak District and France.
Mr Eason said: “Each site is operated either by our own staff or like-minded enthusiasts who hire their cars for customers’ enjoyment.
“We remain committed to the original idea of a business run by enthusiasts that is all about personal service.
“With the business growing fast we had outgrown our Astwood Bank base – Dunlop Road gives us much more space from which to service our customers. In particular, that was needed because we have expanded into classic car restoration.”
The company has had its own workshop for a while and decided that, since it was maintaining the fleet, it should exploit this with other classic car owners. This is now a side of the business the company is keen to see develop and therefore the extra space will help towards this.
The lease was negotiated with help from Redditch property agents John Truslove.
Ben Truslove, a partner at the agents, said: “Great Escape is an exciting business with plenty of glamour attached to it. These are fantastic classic cars, like E-Type Jaguars, which are still in huge demand – to drive one is a car lover’s dream. We are pleased we were able to help.”
