AFTER almost 100 years of business a Hampshire coach firm is to close with the loss of 15 jobs on Christmas Eve.

Taylors Coaches of Sutton Scotney has been trading from its yard at Oxford Road since 1916 when the present managing director's great-grandfather set up shop.

Originally a horse-drawn coach business, founder Walter Charles quickly realised the future of transport lay in the then new 'horseless carriage' so bought his first car in 1906 and set up a taxi firm.

By 1912 he and his son Frederick had opened their first garage, in Whitchurch, moving to the present site four years later.

From that site they ran a garage housing petrol pumps, a shop, the taxi service and a small fleet of private cars.

Then in the mid-1920's the company acquired its first coach - a purpose-built model with a Ford engine that could carry up to 14 people.

However until the 1950's Taylor's operated more lorries than coaches, though that changed when present MD Maxim Taylor's granddad Fred took over the reins.

More recently the 15-strong coach fleet, many of which are now up for sale on the company's website, has been employed doing school runs, private hire excursions and UK and Europe-wide tours.

But Mr Taylor says the business is now barely profitable and with much regret, particularly for his staff, the company must now cease trading.

The 33-year-old said: "There is almost inevitable pressure to continue because we have been going so long.

"But a realistic and common-sense decision had to be made. Its 24-hour seven-day a week operation which does not give us a chance to switch off.

"I would like to thank our drivers and admin staff for all their help and support over the years - and not forgetting all our customers."

He added that the coach market has been in staedy decline for years, brought about partly because so many people own their own cars and because of the popularity of cut-price flights.

But he also said the red tape involved in running a coach business and the cost of running the fleet were becoming too much.