News release

London based City Circle UK Ltd has announced that agreement has been reached to acquire the business of Stanley Mackay coaches of Edinburgh. The new City Circle Edinburgh branch will operate from the Stanley Mackay premises in Bonnyrigg and will continue to service the current Stanley Mackay customer base with its fleet of Setra luxury coaches. The fleet will be complemented by a number of new City Circle liveried coaches. 

Stanley Mackay and City Circle have both built up a solid reputation for providing high quality coach services with top specification vehicles and experienced drivers, a factor critical in bringing the two businesses together. With that in mind, all Stanley Mackay drivers will be invited to stay as City Circle employees.

Neil Pegg, City Circle Managing Director, said, “All Stanley Mackay customers will benefit from by having access to a bigger and more modern fleet of luxury coaches. City Circle customers will benefit from improved service, being served by a business with a foothold in the two major UK tourist destinations”.

Mr Douglas Mackay, the proprietor of Stanley Mackay Coaches, added, “I am delighted at the outcome of the discussions with City Circle. In particular I am confident that the City Circle team will match and enhance the perception of the business in the eyes of my loyal customers”. Mr Mackay has agreed to remain in the business for several months to assist and advise on the set up of the City Circle Edinburgh branch.

City Circle is a wholly owned subsidiary of JTB the biggest travel agency in Japan which has a world wide work force of 20,000 employees. Whereas Stanley Mackay can trace its history back to 1936, City Circle is a much more recent entrant to the market having been established in 1999. Since then it has grown each year and built an enviable reputation for prestige quality and service.