Stagecoach

Each year millions of us around the nation decide to travel up and down the country with the desire to visit friends and family, commute to work or flee to a well-deserved holiday destination. Easy functioning, cost-effective and informative travel is a necessity for all of us to go about our daily lives with minimal stress and worry. One such company is Stagecoach, who are here to provide us with an efficient and frequent coach service with their ever-growing, successful Falcon service. Expect outstanding, friendly customer service every step of the way along with unexpected luxuries including charging sockets and free Wi-Fi; which has come to earn them the title of one of the largest bus operators in the UK! I n 1980, brother and sister Brian Souter and Ann Gloag decided to start a small recreational vehicle and minibus hire business called Gloagtrotter in Perth, Scotland. With only £25,000 of family inheritance, they decided to put the small nest egg to good use and brought 2 large buses. The pair soon became recognised as a reliable and courteous use of transport to muchneeded destinations around Scotland, that together with their thriving polite and friendly attitude, the company quickly grew. Now, this vast expanding commercial company renamed as Stagecoach has taken the UK by storm becoming the UK’s biggest bus service provider, with over 25,000 employees! OM met with Leading Driver, James Palmer who has been with the company for 3 years, Senior Controller, William BushallCrane who began his Stagecoach career in London and has now worked his way up through the company over his 11 years of service and Marketing Manager, Aisha O’Connor who joined the company in June 2019. The team tell us how they’re focusing on customer retention, why you should choose Stagecoach and how their Falcon service has grown rapidly over its four years of operation. Stagecoach South West has been running for 25 years, providing the South West with a fleet of almost 500 buses, 65 of them being in Plymouth along with 10 Falcon coaches running between Plymouth and Bristol every hour from 4.15 am to 19.00 pm! The business has developed over it’s 25 years, now hosting 1200 employees including over 1000 drivers! The Falcon was first launched in 2016 by Stagecoach, and during this 4 year period it’s been running they’ve seen a whopping 1 million passengers use this service, with continuous growing numbers! The Falcon is estimated to take only 3 hours from Plymouth to Bristol and has been a necessity for the towns and villages along the route with no real transport connecting them to Bristol. Other than trains, there was no service running directly between Plymouth and Bristol throughout the day and night, Stagecoach South West saw a gap in the market and the Falcon was born. Meet some of the team!

In conjunction with this, the Falcon has supplied the population of Plymouth, Bristol and all the other stops along the way including Exeter, Taunton, and Sidcot the availability to travel freely at their convenience through the day and night.

What makes the falcon so appealing is the fantastic frequency of coach services’ travelling every hour beginning at 4:15 am till 19:00 pm, then every 2 hours after that. One of the main attractions about the falcon is its flexibility, a ‘hop on hop off’ system has been introduced, just as you would with a normal city bus; allowing those last-minute plans to go-ahead!

With their invincible competitive prices, the Falcon caters to everyone allowing discounts for under 25’s, over 60’s and even providing group deals with it costing only £58 return for 5 people!

driver is ensured to provide a great positive attitude and present a friendly welcome, willing to go the extra mile for every passenger. Before the journey sets off from Plymouth the driver will be sure to give an announcement explaining each drop-off and when you’ll be arriving at your destination, providing a simple yet personal experience, something you don’t see elsewhere.

‘These drivers have all sorts of qualifications and come from all walks of life but they’re coach drivers because they choose to be and they enjoy it and no two days are the same!’

If you’re looking for an easy and efficient route to Bristol, maybe you’re catching a flight, treating yourself to some retail therapy or visiting family, you want to ensure you’ve got reliable, hassle free transport right on your doorstep. Tickets are available to buy online by simply heading over to Stagecoach’s sister company Megabus where you can be sure to guarantee your chosen seats. The falcon offers the flexibility at it’s finest with return tickets being used within 28 days of the outbound journey, an extremely versatile system for those travelling away for a few days with no chosen return date!

There is a maximum of 30 seats available to reserve on a falcon and 31 available to the public. Due to the popularity of Stagecoach, the vision is to soon expand their vehicles, providing supplementary double decker coaches (carrying 74 passengers) and potentially increasing the frequency of the coaches to one every half an hour!

Priding themselves on the fact they’re ‘all about being connected’. Stagecoach is aware that being associated with other companies is a vital key to allow a smooth working service, that appeals to all. With connecting services meaning people can hop off the coach and jump straight onto a park and ride using the same ticket free of charge!

Onboard the coach you’re not only able to pay for your ticket with contactless, but free Wi-Fi access along with being able to charge your phones and/or computers at your seat, with every seat being provided with a USB portable and charging socket. Meaning for a lot the public who use the falcon to commute to and from work they’re able to use this time efficiently and productively. Stagecoach abides by certain values which are highlighted through their involvement with charity events, for example getting involved with the St Luke’s Hospice Elmer’s Big Parade in 2019, sponsoring their own Elmer the Elephant. Not to forget the individual work that goes on behind closed doors with the courageous team members running marathons and taking part in other charity events in aid of raising money for their chosen charities, raising over 20k for charities in 2018 alone! Pat the Falcon mascot!

‘We work with everyday heroes in their own rights’

As a national company, Stagecoach is looking to achieve huge growth within the next 3 years. With the hope to potentially provide an increase in the fleet of vehicles the Falcon has to offer with larger coaches, which will help combat the growing capacity of people. Not only that but include even more frequent transport, as they are hoping to increase the service frequency to every half an hour and accumulating more stops along the route!

‘Our vision is as much about the people we serve as the business we run. We don’t just want stagecoach to thrive, we want to have happy and engaged people who build trusted and connected relationships with our communities because we value how important our services are to their everyday lives.’

With the resilience, positivity, and drive shown by the team at Stagecoach, it is clear to see that the future is most definitely bright. Here at OM, we are excited to see what the future has in store with the growing success of this company!

Single Discount Single Discount Return Return Falcon Service Price List

Plymouth - Exeter £7.70 £8.50 £5.10 £5.60

Plymouth - Taunton £7.70 £8.50 £5.10 £5.60

Plymouth - Bristol £25 £29

£10.50 £15.50

Exeter Bristol £14.40 £16.50 £9.20 £10.30

Taunton - Bristol £7.40 £8.20 £4.10 £5.10

Brent Knoll - Bristol £6.70 £7.20 £4.10 £4.10

Churchill - Bristol £5.10 £6.10 £3.00 £4.10

For more information about Stagecoach South West and The Falcon service, visit their website using the details below.

www.stagecoachbus.com southwest.enquiries@stagecoachbus.com 01392 42 77 11

Our Favourite SEASONAL Recipe ideas

Due to uncertain times, many of your usual ingredients in your local supermarket could potentially become unavailable to you. Here are some quick and easy recipes which you can whip together from ingredients in your pantry; something you and the kids can get involved in this April!

easy margherita pizza 300g strong bread flour, 1 tsp instant yeast (from a sachet or a tub), 1 tsp salt, 1 tbsp olive oil (plus extra for drizzling) For the tomato sauce: 100ml passata, handful fresh basil or 1 tsp dried, 1 garlic clove, crushed For the topping: 125g ball mozzarella, sliced, handful grated or shaved parmesan (or vegetarian alternative), a handful cherry tomatoes (halved) To finish: handful basil leaves (optional)

One Make the base: Put the flour into a large bowl, then stir in the yeast and salt. Make a well, pour in 200ml warm water and the olive oil and bring together with a wooden spoon until you have a soft, fairly wet dough. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 mins until smooth. Cover with a tea towel and set aside. You can leave the dough to rise if you like, but it’s not essential for a thin crust.

Two Make the sauce: Mix the passata, basil and crushed garlic together, then season to taste. Leave to stand at room temperature while you get on with shaping the base.

Three Roll out the dough: If you’ve let the dough rise, give it a quick knead, then split into two balls. On a floured surface, roll out the dough into large rounds, about 25cm across, using a rolling pin. The dough needs to be very thin as it will rise in the oven. Lift the rounds onto two floured baking sheets.

Four Top and bake: Heat oven to 240C/fan 220C /gas 8. Put another baking sheet or an upturned baking tray in the oven on the top shelf. Smooth sauce over bases with the back of a spoon. Scatter with cheese and tomatoes, drizzle with olive oil and season. Put one pizza, still on its baking sheet, on top of the preheated sheet or tray. Bake for 8-10 mins until crisp. Serve with a little more olive oil, and basil leaves if using. Repeat step for remaining pizza

235ml vegetable oil (plus extra for the tin), 100g natural yogurt, 4 large eggs, 1½ tsp vanilla extract, ½ an orange (zested), 265g self-raising flour, 335g light muscovado sugar, 2½ tsp ground cinnamon, ¼ fresh nutmeg finely grated, 265g carrots (about 3 grated), 100g sultanas or raisins, 100g walnuts or pecans, roughly chopped (optional) For the icing: 100g slightly salted butter (softened), 300g icing sugar, 100g full-fat cream cheese Easy carrot cake

One Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Oil and line the base and sides of two 20cm cake tins with baking parchment. Whisk the oil, yogurt, eggs, vanilla and zest in a jug. Mix the flour, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg with a good pinch of salt in a bowl. Squeeze any lumps of sugar through your fingers, shaking the bowl a few times to bring the lumps to the surface.

Two Add the wet ingredients to the dry, along with the carrots, raisins and half the nuts, if using. Mix well to combine, then divide between the tins. Bake for 25-30 mins or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. If any wet mixture clings to the skewer, return to the oven for 5 mins, then check again. Leave to cool in the tins.

There To make the icing, beat the butter and sugar together until smooth. Add half the cream cheese and beat again, then add the rest (adding it bit by bit prevents the icing from splitting). Remove the cakes from the tins and sandwich together with half the icing. Top with the remaining icing and scatter with the remaining walnuts.

Chocolate rice krispie cakes

100g milk chocolate (broken up), 50g dark chocolate (broken up), 100g butter, 4 tbsp golden syrup, 100g rice pops (Rice Krispies) To decorate: 50g milk chocolate (melted), sprinkles, mini marshmallows, nuts, Smarties, dried fruit or white chocolate buttons

One Put the chocolate in a heatproof bowl with the butter and golden syrup and gently melt in 10-second bursts in the microwave, or melt it over a pan of simmering water, making sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water. Stir until smooth, then take off the heat and stir in the rice pops, coating them gently with the chocolate until they are all completely covered.

Two Divide the mixture between nine cupcake or 12 fairy cake paper cases – it’s easier if you slide these into a muffin tin as it will help them hold their shape. Leave to set. If you want them to set faster, put in the fridge for 1 hr. Two Drizzle with a little melted chocolate and decorate with sweets, dried fruit or nuts while they are still wet enough to stick them on. Will keep in an airtight container for five days.

8 bone-in chicken thighs, skin pulled off and discarded,1 tbsp oil, 5 spring onions (sliced), 2 tbsp plain flour, 2 chicken stock cubes, 2 large carrots (cut into batons), 400g new potato (halved if large), 200g frozen peas, 1 tbsp grainy mustard, small handful fresh soft herbs, like parsley, chives, dill or tarragon (chopped)

One Put the kettle on. Fry 8 bone-in chicken thighs in 1 tbsp oil in a casserole dish or wide pan with a lid to quickly brown. Stir in the whites of 5 spring onions with 2 tbsp plain flour and 2 chicken stock cubes until the flour disappears, then gradually stir in 750ml hot water from the kettle.

Two Throw in 2 large carrots, in batons and 400g new potatoes, bring to a simmer. Cover and cook for 20 mins. Take off the lid and simmer for 15 mins more, then throw in 200g peas for another 5 mins.

Three Season, stir in 1 tbsp grainy mustard, the green spring onion bits, a small handful of fresh soft herbs and some seasoning.

Vegan lemon cheesecake 200g/7oz digestive biscuits crushed, 75g/3oz butter or vegan margarine melted, 1 lemon zest and juice, 200ml/7fl oz limoncello liqueur, 3 tbsp agar-agar, 400g/14oz firm tofu, 1 tbsp vegan cream cheese, 400g/14oz coconut cream, few drops vanilla essence, 115g/4oz caster sugar, fresh berries or berry sauce, to serve

One In a bowl, mix the crushed biscuits with the butter or margarine. Press the mixture into the base of a 20cm/8in round springform cake tin. In a pan set over a very low heat, add the lemon juice, limoncello, a splash of water and the agar-agar. Stir until the agar-agar has dissolved.

Two In a food processor, combine the tofu, cream cheese, coconut cream, a splash of vanilla essence, sugar and lemon zest. Blend until smooth. Pour the tofu mixture over the biscuit base and smooth the surface. Chill in the fridge for an hour until set. Serve with fresh berries or a berry sauce.

Rhubarb crumble 500g rhubarb (chopped into chunks), 100g golden caster sugar, 3 tbsp port (optional) For the crumble topping: 140g self-raising flour, 85g butter (chilled), 50g light brown muscovado sugar, 50g chopped walnuts (optional)

ONE Tip 500g thumb-length chunks of rhubarb into a saucepan with 100g golden caster sugar and 3 tbsp port, if using. Cover and simmer on a very low heat for 15 mins, adding more sugar if you want. When soft (but still holding its shape) and sweet enough, pour the rhubarb into a medium baking dish.

Two Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. To make the topping, rub 140g self-raising flour and 85g chilled butter together with your fingers until you have a soft, crumbly topping. Now add 50g light brown muscovado sugar and 50g chopped walnuts, if using. Mix together with your hands.

Three Scatter the topping over the rhubarb and bake for 30 mins or until golden brown on top. Serve piping hot with a big jug of thick vanilla custard.

500g strong white flour, plus extra for dusting, 2 tsp salt, 7g sachet fast-action yeast, 3 tbsp olive oil, 300ml water EASY WHITE BREAD

One Mix 500g strong white flour, 2 tsp salt and a 7g sachet of fast-action yeast in a large bowl. Make a well in the centre, then add 3 tbsp olive oil and 300ml water, and mix well. If the dough seems a little stiff, add another 1-2 tbsp water and mix well.Tip onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for around 10 mins.Once the dough is satin-smooth, place it in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with cling film. Leave to rise for 1 hour until doubled in size or place in the fridge overnight.

Two Line a baking tray with baking parchment. Knock back the dough (punch the air out and pull the dough in on itself) then gently mould the dough into a ball. Place it on the baking parchment to prove for a further hour until doubled in size. Heat oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7. Dust the loaf with some extra flour and cut a cross about 6cm long into the top of the loaf with a sharp knife.