BSM leaves the high street

BSM

The British School of Motoring (BSM) is to close its high street network due to changes in the way people book driving lessons.

The Aviva-owned business says it will replace its 107 outlets with a centralised sale and service operation by December next year. Its products will be sold on the internet and through a call centre instead.

Marketing director Shaun Meadows has previously said he wants to overhaul the brand and ramp up marketing spend in an attempt to become a "sexy" youth brand that also appealed to parents (MW September 7).

The news comes as Aviva-owned Norwich Union, the UK’s largest insurer, announces 4,000 job losses following the merger of its life and general insurance businesses. A spokesman for the company says "only a few" marketing posts will be lost in Norwich and York.

The company cut a swathe of marketing posts last year, after its £1.1bn acquisition the RAC motoring services company (MW August 17, 2005). Aviva closed the RAC’s 60-strong marketing department but created 30 new positions at its Norwich office. Commercial director David Lewis had already left the company, after his role was scrapped (MW July 7, 2005).

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