edepots the story
The concept for edepots.co.uk came about in 2005 when Andy Wogan was working as a pub manager in a small Cotswold village. Once or twice a day, delivery vans would pull up outside asking for directions to local addresses, often returning later, as the person was not in, and they would ask to leave the parcel behind the bar. The cellar was on the ground floor and very secure, so it was not a problem. Later when the person came in to collect their parcel, they would often stop for a drink or two, giving trade a boost.
The idea of a business began to form in Andy’s mind. a network of pubs, petrol stations, village stores and other businesses, able to take delivery of parcels for members of their local community who for some reason could not be at home to receive them. The shopper could then pick them up from the depot at a time convenient to them. The scheme not only helps people who cannot be home to receive the parcel but it also has green merits in that it saves a van going back and forth trying to deliver the package. Probably the most important factor is that it provides extra income for small businesses who are often struggling to survive.
In early 2007 BBC Radio 5 Live ran a competition for the “Best new business idea of the year” Andy’s entry of the edepots network won out of more than 800 entries. Linking up with Steve Pearson, a businessman with a background in finance edepots.co.uk was born and is set to revolutionise the internet, making shopping from home easier and more convenient for the busy shopper