David Short, Tony Moy and Paul Cresswell have purchased cycling holiday specialist, Freewheel.
Trading as ABTA registered Leading Associates, the three already own tour operator Sun Living and a retail outlet of the same name in the north-west.
Short said: “Perhaps it’s a sign of age that from our origins in motor-racing holidays in the 1970s we’ve now moved on to cycling, and downhill cycling at that.
“However, our enthusiasm for the industry remains unchanged and further expansion is under consideration.”
Freewheel Holidays offers leisurely cycling tours in Austria, Italy, France, Spain, Switzerland, Holland/Belgium and Denmark.
The new owners plan to expand Freewheel’s cycling season and to offer departures on most itineraries from May to October, rather than just concentrating on the summer months.
“With the Government now threatening us with ‘personal travel advisors’ to lever us from our cars, we’re confident that we’ve bought into the ‘healthy holidays’ market at just the right time,” added Short.
“We will, of course, be selling Freewheel through our own retail outlet and would be happy to talk commission rates to other travel agents interested in promoting the product.”
By Bev Fearis
