A north-east-based travel agent has opened her fifth shop in just 12 months, giving her a total of nine.
The latest opening marks a return to Boldon Colliery village in South Tyneside for Seaside Travel owner Nicola Park (pictured in the red top), who previously worked as a travel agent in the local Asda store.
Seaside Travel, a member of Hays Independence Group, also has branches in County Durham, Hartlepool and Northumberland.
The new shop in East View, Boldon Colliery is the first in South Tyneside for Nicola, who started out in travel at the age of 16.
Asked if further stores are planned, Seaside Travel Brand Manager Richard Lowrey-Heywood said: “Never say never, Nicola is not one to put her feet up.
“She’s on holiday now, she’ll relax, have a few cocktails and then come back and hit the ground running.”
He said Nicola’s strategy is to open branches away from the high street, choosing to move into the heart of local communities instead. “Our shops are in places where you’ll find a local butcher, a baker, maybe even a bookies,” he added.
“We’re a proper travel agent, we sit down with customers, offer them a brew, and if they come in on a Friday afternoon they’ll get a glass of Prosecco!”
Richard, who hit the news himself in 2022 when he won £24,000 on the BBC quiz show Michael McIntyre’s The Wheel on New Year’s Day, added: “We sell every sort of holiday from bucket and spade to cruises. At the moment we’re selling lots of touring, everybody wants a touring holiday, but we also sell lots of UK breaks as well.”
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The latest opening marks a return to Boldon Colliery village in South Tyneside for Seaside Travel owner Nicola Park (pictured in the red top), who previously worked as a travel agent in the local Asda store.
Seaside Travel, a member of Hays Independence Group, also has branches in County Durham, Hartlepool and Northumberland.
The new shop in East View, Boldon Colliery is the first in South Tyneside for Nicola, who started out in travel at the age of 16.
Asked if further stores are planned, Seaside Travel Brand Manager Richard Lowrey-Heywood said: “Never say never, Nicola is not one to put her feet up.
“She’s on holiday now, she’ll relax, have a few cocktails and then come back and hit the ground running.”
He said Nicola’s strategy is to open branches away from the high street, choosing to move into the heart of local communities instead. “Our shops are in places where you’ll find a local butcher, a baker, maybe even a bookies,” he added.
“We’re a proper travel agent, we sit down with customers, offer them a brew, and if they come in on a Friday afternoon they’ll get a glass of Prosecco!”
Richard, who hit the news himself in 2022 when he won £24,000 on the BBC quiz show Michael McIntyre’s The Wheel on New Year’s Day, added: “We sell every sort of holiday from bucket and spade to cruises. At the moment we’re selling lots of touring, everybody wants a touring holiday, but we also sell lots of UK breaks as well.”
The post North-east-based travel agent opens her fifth branch in a year appeared first on Travel Gossip.
Continue reading...
