Printed September 9, 2010.
Enjoy Bath – on three wheels
An alternative to open-top bus and horse-drawn cart tours of Bath is causing a stir in the city centre.
Razorcat Tours, run by a husband and wife team from Colerne, allows passengers to experience the area from the back seat of a 12ft-long motor trike.
Stewart and Frances Mackay have been offering the service for two-and-a-half months.
Stewart, who drives the vehicle while Frances handles bookings and accounts, said: “We have got off to a very good start, and have been exceptionally well received, especially from Bath residents.”
The motorcyclist and former BT engineer typically parks outside the Huntsman pub, at Terrace Walk, before taking up to three passengers out on the road.
The trike, made by German manufacturer Boom, has a 1,600cc engine, and can be driven without a helmet.
Stewart, 58, who also rides a Kawasaki VN series cruiser bike, said: “It is a very different experience to a motorbike. Without a helmet, you get an exhilarating feeling from being closer to your surroundings, and can smell all the smells of the countryside.”
As well as half-hour rides around the city, the couple offer longer tours into the countryside that take in Avebury, Castle Combe and Stonehenge.
They also have a service for weddings and special occasions, such as birthdays, kids’ parties and school balls, which Stewart says have been popular over the summer.
The business was started two years ago, when Frances, 54, sold her publishing company which was based in Corsham and Leamington Spa. The most memorable and enjoyable ride that Stewart has taken so far was with a pair of American visitors.
“They booked me for the whole day, and were really keen to see all of the iconic areas of the West Country,” he said.
