Lesmahagow couple own two motorhome businesses

With sheer hard work and determination, Anne and Charlie Cairns have struggled through the difficulties of the past four years to emerge the proud owners of two successful motorhome businesses.

One leases out the five motorhomes which they own, and one acts as a booking service to match up owners of motorhomes with people who want to hire them.

"We have been building up slowly," said Charlie. "But every year we have been expanding."

Charlie retired at the end of 2005 after 30 years in the police force.

In 2007, just before the recession hit, Anne was made redundant after 17 years in the cardboard industry.

Charlie was only 48 when he retired and was interested in running his own business.

"The last ten years of police service I worked in the fraud squad, dealing with businesses and it gives you a feeling for it," he said. "I believed I could run my own firm."

He and Anne were looking for a motorhome and spent a year looking at what was available before Charlie retired.

He said. "The first motor home we bought was 40,000 but we believed there was a market for it so we decided to go ahead with it.

"We knew we had a good chance of succeeding."

For more information on this article, see this week's Carluke and Lanark Gazette, which is in the shops now.