Left, John Sergeant presents the award to Romahome’s managing director, Brian Bailey.
DIRECTORS and staff at Cowes-based Romahome are celebrating after they received two of the motorhome industry’s top awards from former BBC political correspondent John Sergeant.
Brian Bailey, the firm’s managing director and current Island Businessman of the Year, accepted the awards at a ceremony at London’s Dorchester Hotel.
Motorcaravan Motorhome Monthly, the UK’s principle motorhome magazine, named Romahome the top UK motorhomes manufacturer in its prestigious 2009 awards. It also gave a bronze award to Romahome’s new R10 Solo, a single-berth motorhome, just launched.
The firm also won orders for six more vehicles during the National Boat, Caravan and Outdoor Show, held at the NEC, near Birmingham. They were among 18 sales made by the parent company Southampton-based Freeborn Group during the show, which brought in £500,000 in revenue.
Andrew Jones, Freeborn Group managing director, said: “In ordinary circumstances, such a figure for orders at a major show might not be seen as remarkable.
“But these are exceptional times and Romahome is performing strongly in an industry where other manufacturers are laying off staff and cutting the working week.
“At Romahome’s Cowes factory, we have just gone onto a four-day working week too. But this is because the staff are now working ten hour shifts instead of eight hours so they can come in on Fridays and weekends as overtime.”
He added: “The success of Romahome is largely down to its managing director, Brian Bailey, and his team reading the market and bringing forward models that will appeal for size, price and quality.”
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