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RETAIL
THERAPY
With more clients looking for the support and security of an agent, and
other areas of retail withering away on the high street, now is the time
to shine. But is your shop up to scratch? Samantha Mayling reports
ebsites may have staked their place in the seems agents don’t need expensive design consultants
W
retail travel world but for customers spending either – many use in-house inspiration and source
many thousands of pounds on a holiday, materials themselves.
talking face to face is an irreplaceable James Beagrie, managing director at Meon Valley in
experience. Shopping taps into people’s emotions and Hampshire, says: “We moved away from professional and
the ambience in an agent’s premises can make all the prohibitively expensive designers and asked staff what
difference to putting customers in the right frame of mind they thought would make customers book here. Our staff
to spend. The style, sophistication and sheer impact of an turned out to be the best design consultants.”
upmarket environment adds to your reputation – both Paul Dayson, partner at Spa Travel in Boston Spa, West
online and in the real world – even ensuring you dissuade Yorkshire, also redesigned his shop himself, spending
time-wasters and price-orientated browsers. about £5,000 – after one quote for furniture alone came
What’s more, two luxury operators recently calling in to almost that amount.
the big guns to create cutting-edge retail environments Inspired by magazines such as ttgluxury and experience
has upped the stakes. In February, Abercrombie & Kent of plush hotels, he gave the store a smart new feel.
opened a shop within Harrods, designed with GP Studio, “We wanted a sleek, sophisticated look without costing
whose other clients include Selfridges and Harvey Nichols. an arm and leg,” he says. “So we went for a minimalist
It boasts a reception/browsing area, nine consultants, look, with black carpets, black sofa and chairs, nicely
swivel screens and a bookshelf with £1,000-worth of framed pictures on the walls, and it all fits in with the kind
glossy travel books. A more secluded area at the back of people who still want to buy holidays. Just getting three
caters for private consultations with VIPs and celebrities. stylish pictures for £60 really set the mood.”
Ellen Spann, director of Abercrombie & Kent Private And the investment, such as it was, is already paying
Travel, explains: “The huge flat-screen TV pulls customers dividends. “Since January we have been as busy as last
in, often while they wait around this area for the bank. year. It is phenomenal, the refurbishment has really given
People can spend up to an hour booking and if you’re us a lift,” says Dayson. “It has encouraged the right sort
talking about something that’s worth £20,000, it can’t of market into the office, and discouraged the cheap end
really be done on the phone. We offer old-fashioned – which is less profitable.”
service and hi-tech features.”
KUONI’S 20:20 VISION
Rival operator Kuoni also employed experts in retail design
when planning its London and Manchester stores. It used
20:20, whose clients range from Sony Ericsson to St
Pancras station. The Kuoni stores went on to win a Design
Effectiveness Award thanks to their sales performance.
20:20 partner Mariann Wenckheim says: “We won a
three-way pitch because they liked our approach based on
what customers wanted and how people shop. We made
the shop the beginning of the holiday. You can pop in for a
brochure, but there’s space for coffee, relaxing and reading.”
Julie Day, Kuoni facilities manager, adds: “The main
thinking was creating perfect moments in people’s lives.
They start to experience that when they step through the
door. The booths offer privacy – you don’t want other
people to know how much you are spending.”
One eye-catching innovation is the projector beaming
travel images onto the window to grab the attention of
passers-by. “We want to open more stores later this year
as these have been so successful,” says Day.
However, many features in these operators’ stores can
already be seen in luxury agencies across the UK. And it Kuoni ‘s Manchester store, which has private booths to offer customers privacy, won a Design Effectiveness Award thanks to its sales performance
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