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Craig Tibbles and Andy Larkam become only UK distributors of high-tech wheelchair from their shop in Victory Way, Dartford

It doesn’t look like your usual wheelchair, and – at £13,500 – there’s nothing ordinary about its price tag either.

But it has changed the life of wheelchair user and trader Craig Tibbles in more ways than one.

The Swiss-made wheelchair – described as the Rolls-Royce of its field – is now exclusively selling in north Kent.

Some of the stock on sale
Some of the stock on sale

Craig Tibbles, 56, only opened his shop selling Genny Mobility wheelchairs last August, but says he has been overwhelmed with demand from customers despite the price.

Average prices for powered wheelchairs normally range between £300 to £600.

Craig, who is disabled himself, got in touch with the Genny’s Swiss manufacturer after his friend, Andy Larkam, first spotted one of them in a National Trust park.

Now Craig has opened a shop in Dartford with exclusive UK selling rights for the Genny.

And it’s being managed by Andy at a showroom provided by Regus in Victory Way.

Craig sitting in the new-style mobility wheelchair
Craig sitting in the new-style mobility wheelchair

Craig said: “I realised there was a gap in the market, and interest from people in Dartford and Gravesend has been massive.

“I use one myself – it’s a life-changing machine.

“What’s so special is that it manoeuvres like no other wheelchair, turning in a very tight circle, and it is able to go over any surface like ice, snow, gravel or mud.

“Its battery can last in excess of 18 kilometres on a straight run, and it can be placed in a car with a ramp.”

Craig has 17 of them in stock, with local orders meaning he is having to import more.

Andy said: “The Swiss company was only three years old and, although well established in mainland Europe, had yet to set up a UK base.

“The opportunity was there and we grasped it.

“Regus was ideal for us locally, because its flexible working model enabled us to move into premises straight away, compared to waiting four to six weeks to become operational in a fixed-lease office.”

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