Parrys to carry on after outcry over closure plans
People power has persuaded the owner of a leading Staffordshire coach holiday firm to reverse his plans to shut it down, it emerged today.
Dave Parry had announced in February that Parrys International would shut at the end of this year when he retired.
But since then Parrys, based in Landywood Green, Cheslyn Hay, has received a deluge of letters, emails, phone calls and visits from customers from all over the West Midlands demanding that it continue its popular European and UK tours.
Mr Parry, aged 65, had said increasing regulation and spiralling costs were behind his original decision to shut with the loss of 35 full-time jobs.
Staff who would have been made redundant, hotels, attractions and vehicle suppliers have also pleaded with Mr Parry to rethink the closure which would have had an impact on other businesses and jobs.
Mr Parry said today: "Due to the overwhelming response to our planned closure, we have decided that it would be in the best interest of our valued clients, staff and trade suppliers to change our decision and continue our business into 2014 and beyond.
"We intend immediately to plan for the future and to prepare our holiday programme for 2014."
Parrys International, which has an annual turnover of around £5.5 million and carries more than 25,000 passengers a year, had not been taking any bookings beyond December since the closure announcement.
Mr Parry, a former Wolves speedway rider and manager, said the business continued to be in a strong financial position.
He has not ruled out eventually selling his business as a going concern.
Parrys owns a fleet of 16 vehicles, including a dozen touring coaches. It has only just bought a luxury German-built Neoplan Starliner for £400,000, which won the coach of the year award at the recent annual UK Coach Rally at Alton Towers.
Mr Parry also confirmed that he had had some approaches about selling the business since the closure announcement.
