ECONOMIC GROWTH IN WEST MIDLANDS FUELLING COVENTRY DRAIN DOCTOR EXPANSION
Rapid economic growth, the influx of new manufacturing and the development of new housing and road and rail infrastructure in the West Midlands is driving the expansion of the Coventry franchise of Drain Doctor, the UK’s premier combined plumbing and drain repair business.
Coventry franchise owner Alan Langford said: “I can’t put my finger on one single thing that is creating more business for us. It is a combination of things including more housing and commercial developments bringing people to the area. People are building extensions and there has been an increase in housing driven by incoming manufacturing like Jaguar Land Rover.”
Alan said that his business has now reached pre-recessionary levels and is continuing to grow, building on sustained growth over the past two years. The franchise has been running two fully-equipped vans. Now Alan is at the point where he needs to source a another van and take on a new technician. Up until recently he has been working as a technician himself but can now return to focus on marketing his business.
Proposals for a West Midlands Combined Authority designed to return the region to its former glory as the ‘workshop of the world’ and become the engine that drives the British economy appear to be delivering fruit for local businessmen like Alan.
In addition to attracting workers through improved employment opportunities created by new manufacturing, Coventry has also been named in a list of cheaper commuter towns with links to Birmingham and improved transport links to London. As more homes and business premises are built, opportunities for Drain Doctor Coventry increase.
Alan said: “As well as new homes many local people are opting to stay and extend their existing homes rather than move away. We are getting a lot of work conducting CCTV drain surveys as a result.
“On top of that we have won a regular contract with Coventry City Council as sole supplier of plumbing and drainage services. As a result 30 per cent of our weekly work comes through that contract alone. We are very busy now and back to where we were before the recession.”
Launched in the UK in 1993, Drain Doctor Plumbing quickly grew to become the country's largest combined emergency plumbing and drain repair service. Drain Doctor now delivers full-service drainage solutions to national restaurant, hotel, catering and leisure businesses as well as households throughout the UK and Ireland. It provides a 24 hour a day, 365 days a year service across the country with each franchise run as an independent business.
Photo caption: Alan Langford (right) and wife Maggie are presented with a trophy by Drain Doctor chairman Freddie Mitman (centre) after recently winning an award as one of Drain Doctor's leading franchises
