ONE of Britain’s leading leisure groups has launched a vehicle scheme for 9,000 staff to improve their benefits and compete for the best employees against rivals.

Gala Group has introduced an all-employee car ownership scheme for the whole company in the face of competition from new entrants into the market, following changes to legislation in the gaming industry.

The all-employee car ownership scheme is intended to give staff access to large discounts on new cars, along with a package of benefits normally reserved for company car drivers, including a fixed monthly fee covering all servicing and maintenance.

At the end of the contract, drivers have the option of buying the car, returning it to the provider or trading it in for a newer model.

The facility allows Gala staff access to new cars at considerable discounts, and with no deposit to pay. The contract is protected through early termination insurances.

It is being run by Provecta Car Plan, which provides Gala’s current employee car ownership scheme for ex-company car drivers.

Stuart Ward, Gala’s HR director, said: ‘When the changes in legislation came into force, we saw many new entrants into the market and we needed a powerful set of employee benefits to keep our highly trained staff loyal. We also wanted a solution that would cost little to either set up or run in the longer term.’