An independent family coach company that has been serving Norfolk for almost 50 years has opened its first Norwich depot. 

Sanders Services, which was founded by Norfolk entrepreneurs Norman and Gladys Sanders and is now managed by their son, Charles, has revealed it will use a warehouse previously owned by Sheffield Insulations, after a year long hunt for a city site.

The purchase, which was facilitated by local commercial property broker Arnolds Keys, will mean the business - which has been in Holt for nearly 50 years - will have an extra depot.

Eastern Daily Press: Sanders Coaches is moving to a new Norwich depotSanders Coaches is moving to a new Norwich depot (Image: Sanders)

Managing director Charles Sanders said finding the new site had been a challenging task, given the limited options available. 

He said: “A Norwich depot is a key part of making our operations more efficient and enabling us to expand – but we were finding it difficult to find the right site.

“We knew we wanted to buy the property freehold so that we could fit it out for our exact requirements, and we had been trawling the market for some time without success.

“Although the Bessemer Road site was not on the market, [Arnolds Keys] approached the owners to propose a sale.”

The firm - which provides coach travel for Norwich City fans for away games - is known for its distinctive orange livery.

Eastern Daily Press: Sanders Coaches is moving to a new Norwich depotSanders Coaches is moving to a new Norwich depot (Image: Sanders)

The purchase is the latest in a string of successes for the business, after it was named Top Independent Bus Operator at the 2023 UK Bus Awards, and also picked up a bronze award for Overall Bus Operator of the Year.

The company has seen steady growth over the past few decades, growing its fleet from four to 100 vehicles since its founding. 

It currently employs more than 120 local people and Mr Sanders said management was looking to grow that number even further.