Memories of a Family Business

Axe Skips has been run by the same family since 1985, when John and Jane Bostock set up the company with just one lorry and 20 skips. Today we operate a large sorting station near Axminster with five lorries, more than 500 skips and 12 employees.
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Jane has been sorting through old photos and found some of the early days when we just had a few skips, as well as records of our community involvement. This has included taking part in the Axminster Carnival every year and supporting numerous local charities with donations and involvement in projects.

She says: “We had an agricultural engineering business in Chard in partnership with a friend who then decided on a change of career, so everything was sold and not knowing what to do next we brought a seaside kiosk at West Bay. We ran it for two years and enjoyed it very much.

“John was always looking to do something else, so one day when a skip lorry drove past and he thought that might be something that would suit him. We sold the kiosk and brought a Dodge 50 series skip loader lorry and 20 mini skips. We were able to work from home and there were several local tipping places at that time. We thought we would give it 12 months and see how it went! 

“It was a slow start for a few years but it worked out very well. The Environment Agency began to tighten the rules and we had to use the Devon County Council tip at Sutton but when that rapidly filled so we had to look elsewhere. We were fortunate to buy the old council highways depot at Kilmington and were granted permission to turn it into a recycling yard. John had to take a level 4 NVQ in Waste Management to run the site and that was not easy!”

Whilst John was out in the lorry Jane was back in the yard sorting the waste and driving the loading shovel, filling the 40yd roll on bins. Non recycled materials were taken to landfill sites and they managed to recycle the wood, metal, paper and hardcore.

“We have had some wonderful staff over the years in the yard, driving and in the office - which has been like an extended family for us. Sadly John died of cancer in 2009, so we have raised a lot of money over the years for Hospiscare, which looked after him. I am sure he would be very proud of everyone who has worked here past and present.”

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