Ailing BSM Gets Sold For A Quid

Wednesday, 2. March 2011

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Hello John, wanna buy a motor? Well actually a motoring school, the biggest in the UK, BSM. So how much you gonna pay for this luverly motoring school? A quid – done John! Sold to the AA at the back of the room. That’s actually how much the AA paid for BSM after going into administration at the end of January. The company went through a management buyout in 2009 when it was bought for £10 million but according to reports has struggled ever since. The company has 2,100 instructors and trains 30,000 drivers each year compared to the AA with 1,900 instructors training 25,000 drivers. BSM is known for even helping the Queen to pass her test. The new owners have said that they will continue to let both companies trade separately although a review is under way that could result in some changes. The whole face of driving schools changed when Vauxhall reportedly stopped supplying cars for free and BSM moved to Fiat but had to ditch the 3,250 strong fleet when it was decided that the Fiat 500 was too cramped. BSM then reverted back to Vauxhall Corsas placing an order worth £30 million.

Although the AA run a fleet of Fords they have agreed to honour the order placed on Vauxhall. By Graham Hill