In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Nigel Haines, then managing director of Lincolnshire-based Phil Haines Coaches, found that he’d enjoyed being at home and decided to step back. That left his son with a dilemma. Step up or the family business might close.
It’s 2021 and the 62-year-old family business of Phil Haines Coaches has successfully navigated its course through the choppy seas of the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sitting around the kitchen table in the family home in a small village near Boston in rural Lincolnshire, the Haines family can relax.
Started by Phil Haines in 1959, and now managed by his son Nigel, working closely with his own son Ben, and Ben’s wife Gemma, the business has prospered.
But Nigel has something on his mind.
“You both know how much I’ve enjoyed working with you to build up this business after picking up the reigns from my dad in the mid-1980s,” he says. “But I have to tell you, sitting at home for six months during the pandemic has made me realise that it’s time for me to step back. I enjoyed not working! So Ben, I need to ask you. Will you step up? Will you become the third generation of this family to steer Phil Haines Coaches forward?”
No pressure!
Ben picks up the story.
“Gemma and I had had an inkling that my dad might be about to step back. Perhaps he assumed I was going to say yes and jump at the opportunity to step up. But it really wasn’t a given. However, since joining the business in 2006 as a coach mechanic, with a five-year engineering apprenticeship with Scania GB under my belt, and working with my dad on all aspects of the business, I felt ready. Gemma was really supportive. She originally joined the business in an unofficial capacity in 2017 working three days a week to help develop our day excursion and coach holiday programme. That had gone really well. We lost a couple of staff as a result of the pandemic so she joined the business full-time in 2021. I knew she was keen to develop the excursion and holiday programme further but I also I knew that whatever I decided, she would be supportive.
“But here’s the thing. I’d lived this business. It was in my blood. It still is. So I really wanted to do it, to have a go. My dad, no doubt relieved, was equally supportive saying that there was no pressure. I remember him saying: “Look, if it doesn’t work out, well, we’ve given it a go.”
Growing the tours business
Today, Ben is Managing Director, his wife Gemma is Office Manager, working together as a husband and wife team. Nigel is still a director of the business but very much taking a back seat. The team includes Karen in administration, Jamie, Gareth and Jackson in the well-equipped workshop, and some 20 full-time and part-time drivers.
The business focuses on private hire, school contracts and a day excursion and coach holiday programme. Seven school contracts are with Lincolnshire County Council, including two open door services requiring Ticketer machines to ensure BODS compliance, and four private contracts.
“From those early days developing our first tours programme, this year we’ll be operating some 70 day excursions and around 28 coach holidays,” explains Gemma.
Starting that all from scratch in 2017 was challenging. However, Phil and Nigel had developed a very successful self-drive van hire business, part of which was the forerunner to our coaching activities. We also had an MoT station for a while. I was able to use those databases as the foundation for marketing the day excursions and holidays. I also went on Facebook, took a coach to Boston Market and a local garden centre. We had comfortable coaches, excellent drivers and word got around.
“Today our coach holidays are mostly four nights and we use good quality three-star hotels. I’m currently looking at our programme for 2026 and 2027 and considering offering a premium product using four-star hotels. We have customers asking for that. Overall, our tours mostly go out full. We have a lot of repeat business with around 80% of tours having a waiting list!”
The arrival of ‘Sir Phil’
Gemma notes the importance of ensuring the quality of coach tour drivers.
“We provide opportunities for all newly trained drivers, and drivers new to the company, to join our more experienced drivers on our day excursions to see first-hand what’s involved and to assist with developing their knowledge and skill base.”
Gemma says the introduction of the company’s door-to-door pick-up service has proved really popular.
“It’s one of our main selling points,” she explains. “We offer it on holidays of three nights or more. We work closely with local taxi operators who provide most of the door-to-door service and closely monitor the quality of the service delivery. But now we have another main selling point, our new Irizar i6S Efficient integral 13.2m tri-axle coach. It was supplied by Irizar UK and christened ‘Sir Phil’ in honour of my husband’s grandfather. Delivered in April this year, having been ordered in February 2024, it has just 53 seats so plenty of legroom.
“The rear-steer axle has proved invaluable around some of the country lanes in this part of the country. The vehicle is prepared for future PSVAR compliance in consideration of its later life. That includes fitment of front, side and rear destination displays. We wanted the coach to stand out so we chose a new livery featuring a dark metallic base colour that’s complemented by dark-tint side glazing and LED exterior lighting. She’s a beautiful coach and we’re already getting calls from our customers asking if it’s going to be that coach on their forthcoming trip.”
Money well spent
The majority of the fleet carry cherished registrations, generally featuring the initials PHC. But for ‘Sir Phil’, the Haines family pushed the boat out.
“I was looking around for something special,” explains Ben. “The registration PHC 111 came up at auction and I thought, you know, 111 seems appropriate in representing the three generations of the family. But unsurprisingly, a cherished plate of this type was somewhat more expensive than our usual plates. But in the end, I went for it, and I think we all agree it really adds a special touch to what is now our pride and joy. Money well spent!”
The coach joins a mixed fleet of 17 comprising a second i6s, a Van Hool EX15M and a Jonckheere JHV, the four vehicles providing the front-line tour programme. Five 70-seat coaches cover the school contracts, there are four service buses to cover the open door contracts, and four older coaches that are there for cover.
“We’re aiming for DVSA Earned Recognition,” says Ben. “We’ve been gearing our workshop up to allow us to carry out all of our own maintenance. We’ve just recently installed a second set of four column lifts supplied by Totalkare along with brake testing rollers and a full diagnostic kit. We use a TruTac application for walk-round checks and tachograph analysis, and Distinctive Systems’ Tour Booking System in the office. We belong to CPT, primarily because that gives us access to the Bonded Coach Holidays scheme, but we’ve also phoned on occasions for advice. We find it works for us.”
Bookings to go 24/7
The company is currently upgrading its website.
“We’re seeing younger customers on our day excursions to ABBA Voyage, Royal Ascot, that kind of excursion,” explains Gemma. “We hope they note the quality of our service and spread the word. We also continue to take bookings over the phone and in person at the office. But we recognise that capturing bookings from a younger audience means we need to offer a 24/7 booking service. The upgraded website will offer that.”
But what does the future hold for Ben and Gemma?
“We focus on what we do best,” says Ben. “I don’t see us getting much bigger. It’s all about quality not quantity. But as I’ve said, doing this is in my blood, and I think it’s in Gemma’s now as well. I think we both enjoy giving the people of this area the opportunity to take a holiday or day excursion. How long we keep doing this is another matter, but for now, I want to make sure that whatever we do, we do it well. This started out as a family business. It has remained a family business with every member of the team ensuring 66 years of success since Phil decided to go it alone. I have a feeling he would be very proud of what his family has achieved.”
