SCOTTISH COLUMN
In a surprise development, local authorityowned Lothian Buses purchased East Lothianbased Eve Coaches in February. The Scougall family, which ran the business for all 46 years of its existence, was planning to retire and is understood to have approached Lothian about a takeover.
Lothian managing director Sarah Boyd says: “Eve Coaches is a well-known operator in the local area with over 40 years of service to the communities of East Lothian. We look forward to the opportunities that this acquisition will afford us in the future.”
Eve’s depot and premises in Spott Road, Dunbar are included in the sale, together with its 30 vehicles. The depot will continue to be used for Eve’s operations, and all staff have transferred employment to Lothian with protected terms and conditions. The Eve Coaches brand will be maintained for bus and coach operations, while allowing Lothian to expand its coach and tours offering in East Lothian.
Eve Taxis & Coaches was formed in 1978 and became a limited company, Eve Coaches, in 2005. It has tripled in size over the past quarter century, its operator licence authorisation growing from a steady ten to 15 by 2002, 20 by 2008, 25 in 2019 and 30 in 2020. Li…
