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The new owner of the Thrifty Car & Van Rental UK franchise, Scot Group Ltd has come a long way, over the last 35 years. Scot Group is a family run Company, which commenced trading in 1971 with a fleet of three Mark II Cortinas, one Escort and five commercial vehicles, all of which were second hand.
The Company, initially called Scot Hire, began as a partnership between Clive Spokes and Maureen Bull, which was run from their home. Clive completed all the vehicle maintenance and Maureen ran the administrative side of the business.In 1973 they were able to rent a small office in a garage in Exeter, with 4 parking spaces.
In 1976 negotiations were started to purchase the company’s first site.
In June 1979 Scot Hire made its first bulk purchase, six Vauxhall Chevettes. Expansion has continued, ever since, with new branches being opened and the vehicle fleet growing in number as the years have gone by: Today Scot Group Ltd runs an average fleet of 9,000 cars, and 3,000 vans and minibuses.
Back in 1996 the Company also changed its name from Rotacell Ltd T/A Scot Hire to Scot Group Ltd T/A Scot Hire to encompass all areas of the growing business and in 1999 Nigel Spokes assumed a controlling interest in the Company. Whilst remaining a private family-owned concern, the business is now operated by the current board comprising of Chairman Nigel Spokes, Managing Director Roger Hancock and Financial Director Peter Granados.
The company launched Scot Prestige in 2003, which now offers Customers the choice of renting vehicles from extensive Jaguar, Land Rover, BMW and Volvo product. This part of the Company is now incorporated into the Thrifty brand.
In 2005 the Company was offered the opportunity to acquire the UK master franchise for Thrifty Car & Van Rental in the UK and it was decided the opportunity with Thrifty was too good to miss. So on 1st April 2006 Scot Group became Scot Group T/A Thrifty Car & Van Rental. As owner of the Thrifty master franchise for the UK it has enabled the Company to grow on a far greater scale than ever before and we intend to one day become the leader in vehicle rental in the UK. With such growth will come increased career opportunity and security for each of our employees, upon whom the Company’s future success depends.
Thrifty currently have 90 locations within the UK and the Head Office of the Company is based at 12 Marsh Barton Road, Exeter where the Accounts, Personnel, Insurance, Fleet and Car Sales departments are based. There is also a Central Office in High Wycombe which houses the Sales, Reservation and Credit Control functions and a refurbishment site where the majority of the Company's maintenance and accident repairs are carried out based in Nuneaton.
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