Cautious agents in no rush to reopen shops on June 15


Juliet Dennis


Agents say they are in “no rush” to reopen shops as they warn the challenge of doing so could be harder than going into lockdown. Non-essential retailers in England


can reopen from June 15. Hays Travel, the UK’s largest high


street agency, ruled out a “big-bang” reopening but some stores will “probably” trade from June 15 where the business feels it is safe. Owner John Hays said: “We are


still evaluating things and we’re not going to rush it. And we’re certainly not going to force any of our staff to do anything they don’t want to do.”


East Anglia-based Premier Travel


has consulted staff and carried out an external risk assessment. Some staff are now returning to its 24 branches to test new health and safety measures. Director Paul Waters said: “There


is no great rush. We are working towards some opening on June 15.” Henbury Travel in Macclesfield


has installed screens similar to a post office counter for a June 15 reopening. Owner Richard Slater said: “We‘ll open the door and see what happens. If it’s unmanageable we can introduce an appointment- only system. I don’t want to stop clients coming in.” But Sandra Corkin, managing


Premier Travel staff are testing new safety measures


Reopening is nearly


a bigger challenge than going into lockdown with all the changes and new working conditions


director of six-branch Oasis Travel in Northern Ireland, where no date has been set for non-essential shops to reopen, warned: “It’s not like an on-off switch. Opening up is nearly a bigger challenge than going into lockdown when you think of all the changes you have to make and the new working conditions.”


Oasis is to reallocate the processing


of refunds to staff at home to allow those in shops to focus on sales. Miles Morgan Travel chairman


Miles Morgan said challenges ranged from staff concerns and security to evaluating demand and employees’ workloads. Writing in this week’s Travel


Weekly, he says he is unconvinced there will be enough new business to justify opening his agency’s stores. “I need to ensure I’m in-step with


the rest of the high street,” he said. “But I need also to ‘feel’ the time is


right, in tune with public sentiment.” i Hays: Special Report, page 8 i Miles Morgan: Comment, page 12


Furlough ‘won’t avert job losses’ Juliet Dennis


The trade has welcomed changes to the government’s furlough scheme that allow part-time work but warned it will not be enough to stem wide-scale redundancies. Chancellor Rishi Sunak


confirmed on Friday that his flagship Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme will close at the end of October and be gradually pared back before then. The Treasury will continue to fund


80% of furloughed employees’ salaries up to the end of August, up to £2,500 a month, but from August employers will have to pay national insurance and pension costs, typically 5% of


6 4 JUNE 2020 Even the scaled


furlough scheme will put several long- standing companies out of business – swiftly


overall costs. From September, the government’s contribution will reduce to 70%, with employers covering 10%, and for October, the state will contribute 60% and employers 20% of furloughed employees’ wages. The decision to allow furloughed


staff to work part-time from July 1 was welcomed by high street agents


as offering flexibility. But Advantage Travel Partnership leisure director Kelly Cookes said the industry “wouldn’t have to rely so heavily on the scheme” if the government’s planned quarantine measures and indefinite FCO advice were lifted. An extension to the Self-


Employment Income Support Scheme, allowing those eligible to claim a final grant capped at £6,570, to cover three months of profit, was welcomed by homeworking firms. Holidaysplease director Charles


Duncombe said it gave homeworking agents “a reasonable level of income coming in to support themselves” until bookings return.


C&M Travel Recruitment


director Barbara Kolosinska predicted jobs would go in business travel and corporates with bigger overheads. Business Travel Association chief


executive Clive Wratten agreed, warning: “Even the scaled scheme announced will put several long- standing companies out of business – swiftly. Many, many jobs across our sector will be lost.” Operator First Class Holidays


has made head of sales for the north Nisha Bean redundant, while Travelsphere parent G Touring said it was “right-sizing the business for the future”. Airlines have already announced large-scale job losses.


travelweekly.co.uk


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