After over 35 years of flying hot air balloons, Balloon Rides owner Tom Donnelly is retiring but the name will be carried on by Adventure Balloons, run by Kim Hull. "We have flown many happy customers over the years and I know our name will be in good hands as I taught Kim to fly over 25 years ago. He turned up at the Harrogate Brass Monkey Balloon Meet in January 1986 with a hot air balloon and a Transit Van but no pilot to fly with him". This was a most unusual way to conduct yourself in those early days of hot air balloon flights, but times have changed and now many private owners have their own "rigs" and tour the country to the many balloon events throughout the year.

Adventure Balloon's director Kim Hull remembers those early days well. "We were one of the first companies to offer the general public flights in hot air balloons and during my training, many of the pilots who taught me have become very well know if not "famous" balloonists like Tom. My early flying log book is full of flights signed off by ballooning greats. We will continue to operate under the Balloon Rides name and will be operating the Kit Kat balloon from York and our new Lincolnshire locations."