NEWS SPECIAL REPORT “


Clockwise from above: Tui concession in a Next store in


Rushden Lakes, Northamptonshire; the Althams branch in Ilkley,


West Yorkshire; the new name and fascia for Midcounties Co-operative Travel’s stores


Staff training For many retailers, training staff is key to their return. Barrhead Travel president


Jacqueline Dobson said: “Our biggest challenge this time round is training for colleagues who have perhaps not been working since last year.” The agency is giving staff “back to


work training” to help bring them up to speed on changes. Kuoni’s Fielding, who has also


rolled out staff training, added: “This is not only to refresh staff on how to amend bookings but also to train them on how to keep themselves and customers safe at work.”


Eagerness to return Retailers nationwide say there is a general feeling of relief and eagerness among staff to get back to selling holidays face-to-face. But there is also nervousness


about how and when travel will restart and what trading will be like. Fielding said: “Overall there


is a sentiment of excitement tempered with ‘what is demand going to be like?’”


travelweekly.co.uk Fielding said only a few members


of staff did not want to return to shops and would prefer to work from home, noting that “mental health has been a consideration”. But he said: “That’s more for a work-life balance than a fear of going in.” In fact, many have not enjoyed


having to work from home. He added: “A lot of retail staff have said working from home has heightened some of their problems.” Other retailers reported a


similar desire to return to work, but Midcounties’ recently-appointed chief officer of travel and leisure services, Sara Dunham, admitted “some cautiousness” among employees after a year out of the workplace, while Hays Travel chair Dame Irene Hays recently noted a greater appetite to return to the shops among younger workers than older employees. There is no doubt, however, that


overall the trade is keen to return to work. As McAllister puts it: “We just need to be allowed to get back to what we do best: booking our customers their dream holidays.”


Stacey Owen, manager of Kuoni’s concession in Peter Jones, London, will be returning on April 12


There is a team of four of us returning to work


on reduced hours; normally there’s six. Two of us will be in every day. We’re on countdown. We have lockdown fatigue and are ready to go back. Some staff are nervous. Only one of us has had the vaccine. We have to wear PPE, including masks, and clean desks and chairs between clients. I’ve made a decision not to commute on public transport; I’m going to drive until I’ve had the vaccine. I felt a bit panicky about it. As difficult as the last year has been,


I think it’s benefited us as agents; people value our expertise. The most important factor is we can


sit down and engage with each other and with customers, which is why we do the job. I feel lucky to be one of the first Kuoni stores to be reopening.”


WHO’S OPENING WHEN


O TUI: All stores in Wales and England will be open from April 12 (excluding any that are part of proposed closures). Stores will open normal working hours.


O THE MIDCOUNTIES CO-OPERATIVE: All 78 branches, including seven Carrick Travel stores, will reopen on April 12.


O ALTHAMS TRAVEL SERVICES: All branches will open on April 12, initially with reduced staff numbers, from 10am-4pm.


O HAYS TRAVEL: A “hybrid” return, with some shops reopening and others staying closed on April 12.


O KUONI: Phased reopening of its 29 stores by end of June. First six opening on April 12 are John Lewis concessions in Southampton, Reading, Norwich, Peter Jones (London), Cardiff and Chelmsford.


O BARRHEAD TRAVEL: Reopenings determined by region, with English stores from April 12 and Scottish stores from April 26.


O ADVANTAGE TRAVEL PARTNERSHIP: Most members to reopen in England on April 12 but many on shorter hours, with appointments or closed-door policies.


O TTNG: Most members to reopen, but not necessarily on April 12.


8 APRIL 2021


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PICTURE: Shutterstock


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