BOWING out at the end of the year is a man who has clocked up hundreds of thousands of miles and seen most of the best West End shows in town.

Malcolm Harris from Malcolm's Travel in Haslemere, which has become one of the town's household names in coach travel, organising trips to some of Europe's popular holiday destinations and London's theatre land, has decided to call it a day.

His thriving business is up for sale and Mr Harris hopes to find someone interested in what he describes an "attractive lifestyle for someone who likes people and travel".

"Coach travel is still a pleasant way of life for people as they get older," said Malcolm, who started up the business in 1984 with wife Jill.

Already well known in the town as manager of the Haslemere Youth Football Club, which he ran for 16 years, Mr Harris and his wife started the business from their toy shop Play and Learn in Wey Hill.

In 1990, with the closure of the shop, the name of the travel company was changed to Malcolm's Travel.

Now more than 1,400 trips later, Mr and Mrs Harris have decided it is time to adopt a less-hectic way of life.

But the couple will certainly have plenty of memories to look back on.

Trips to European holiday destinations including France, Spain, Switzerland, Austria, Germany and Holland feature high on the popularity list as do trips to the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, Ireland and much of the UK.

Stately homes and houses, gardens and sporting events - Mr Harris has seen most of them and is especially thankful to Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber whose box office blockbusters, have been a constant source of business.

"At around £50 for a night out at the theatre we don't do quite as many now," said Mr Harris, whose all time favourite is Les Miserables.

He also remembers selling tickets outside the London theatres for some shows which haven't sold quite so well.

"There have been the stressful times when I have stood there wondering what am I doing this for?" he says with a wry smile

His outings have ranged from a single trip to see the Royal Albert Hall event "Joy to the World", which grew to an annual visit to the popular carol concert for 250 people and five coaches.

And at a medieval festival near St Malo six years ago, Mr Harris not only booked the seats but also took a note of coach travellers' measurements for costumes to fit when they got there.

And Malcolm Harris has lapped up the miles travelling by coach.

"Retired people often like things organised for them and I go on almost every trip. I know that people appreciate just sitting back and relaxing."