AN AVIATION training centre which provides courses for trainee pilots is relocating to a site near Clevedon in a move set to drastically boost other businesses in the area.

Bristol Groundschool is the UK and Europe’s leading provider of modular distance learning courses for the European Airline Transport Pilot’s Licence (ATPL).

It is currently based in Cheddar but is set to move to Rivermead Court at Kenn Business Park, off Kenn Road, in May to allow it to continue to expand.

In the last two weeks of each month more than 60 students will travel to the site for revision courses before taking exams in Bristol.

This will bring potentially thousands of pounds worth of custom to establishments such as the Bridge Inn in Yatton which Bristol Groundschool has partnered up with to provide accommodation for students.

The school has also retained existing partnerships with bed and breakfast establishments in surrounding villages including Congresbury, Langford and Churchill.

Founder and managing director Alex Whittingham said: “While we are sad to be leaving Cheddar, our home for the past decade, this is a big and exciting step for Bristol Groundschool, necessary to accommodate the growth of our business and our growing team of dedicated instructors and administrators, as well as our support, sales and marketing departments.

“We are very much looking forward to the move and to entering the next phase for Bristol Groundschool. Preparations to relocate are under way and we anticipate operating from Clevedon from the first week of May.”

As well as providing courses for trainee pilots, the business is also the market-leading provider of ATPL training resources and material to other training organisations around the world including in Europe, the Middle East, Australia and America.