Tockwith training have ceased trading due to retirement, would of thought it could of been sold instead of closing.
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One of their main guys (son of the owner?) was looking to sell it more than three years ago when I did my Class 1, so I can only assume they couldn’t find a buyer between then and now, or that there were other reasons to make a sale a less preferable option to shutting shop.
I don’t know the situation with Tockwith Training, other than the fact they had a good reputation, But unless a business comes with a large plot of Land suitable for reversing and a solid lease for the next 10-15 years, then I have often found them overpriced.
When we’ve looked at businesses, we figured that starting from scratch with the correct kit would often be more sensible than purchasing one already trading that doesn’t have a reversing area.
I think we’re gradually seeing the end of one-person training companies that lack the facilities needed to offer module 4/3a assessments, etc.
Something that Tockwith would never have been able to offer was the ability to run tests from their location, there’s too many 7.5T limits in York so their candidates had to do their tests in Wetherby - at least that was what I was told. Compare that to PSTT who have for a long time ran tests from their own premises and there’s no contest.
They always seemed busy…decent trucks as well, just feels a shame it closed.
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This is second hand information from a reliable source.
Apparently the son left the company and has started another training business in Wetherby.
A well respected trainer also left.
The assumption is that it was difficult and probably disheartening for the owner to continue.
But I agree that its a pity they’ve shut up shop. Tockwith had a good name for the years I was aware of them and I would have thought it was a saleable proposition.
It is a fact that the site didn’t qualify as a test centre for Cat C and upwards due to the multiple weight limits around York.
Personally I think it’s closure is a sad loss to the training industry and I wish the owners a long and happy retirement.
Pete S[emoji16][emoji16]
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I’d hazard a guess the son’s company is this one, judging by the contact email address which I recall from the original company
wetherbytraining.co.uk/
Oddly not called Tockwith even though it’s situated in the village of Tockwith, I guess there were proprietary issues over the use of the company name.
The owner of Tockwith Training did indeed retire in 2022. This followed a big bust up with his son.
Whilst he wasn’t interested in selling on the business the owner did put the site up for sale and the house on the site too. The price for both was £1.7m clearly well out of reach of all other HGV driving schools.
Many of the staff at Tockwith, including office manager and instructors joined go! driving, ironically situated in Tockwith itself.