Bush Business: Champion Driving School

Every now and again this blog likes to give a plug to a local business that’s well worth checking out, and one of those beyond a shadow of a doubt in my mind is the Champion Driving School.

I should know, I’m a former pupil!


If you know anyone in need of lessons do give them a call. The instructor is likely to be local W3er John Powell, who runs the business, and is an all-round nice guy. He is also a very good teacher. When I was learning he was in training to do a charity walk, so every lesson I got an update on his progress, as I calmly cranked the living daylights out of his gearbox.

In fact my experiences learning to drive in W12, about 5 or 6 years ago now might have been a mirror image of many people’s. Not wanting to spend more than I had to I contacted BSM thanks to their blanket advertising, but 10 lessons later with a frankly terrible instructor (who I later heard had been sacked), I was no closer to either passing my test or saving any cash.

One day walking down the Old Oak Road I happened on John in his car and booked a couple of lessons, after not very many more, all of which were a pleasure, I found myself at the test centre and passed without any problems. The difference seemed to be that John genuinely wants you to pass, whereas others seem to have an eye on you needing more lessons. And after bumping into him earlier this evening, after all that time, he remembered exactly who I was and stopped to have a chat.

So if you are reading this and are either thinking about learning yourself, or know someone who is, do give John a call. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend him as an instructor, and as a local business that runs on a conscience as well as a profit margin I’d say they’re well worth our support.