NEWS YOU NEED TO KNOW 4


Barrhead to open six more shops in England in 2018


Ben Ireland ben.ireland@travelweekly.co.uk


Barrhead Travel is to open at least eight shops in 2018 – including six in England.


The leading Scottish agency has


not revealed the locations of the new shops south of the border, but said one of two new shops in Scotland would be in Edinburgh. The family-run network, including its franchise stores and managed service travel partners, will number 78 by the end of this year and is expected to top


90 by the end of next year. Chairman Bill Munro said the agency would also expand the size of its ‘heartland’ shops, starting with Livingston, which will double in size to 3,000sq ft. “We are going for bigger stores


in high-footfall areas,” he said. Munro said Barrhead “has to


move quickly” with its expansion plans in England, where it has already opened stores in Newcastle, Cumbria and Leicester. “There could possibly be more


[than six],” he said. “It depends on opportunities.” Barrhead, which held its


Barrhead employs more than 1,000 staff


5 STORIES HOT


business partner conference at the Trump Turnberry hotel in Ayrshire last weekend, recently announced a new “experience store” will open in Belfast – its first foray into Northern Ireland. It now employs more than 1,000


staff, around 100 more than last year, and has doubled its regional sales management team to four. “Travel agents are not suffering in the same way as other shops on the high street,” said Munro, who explained that people still want to speak to agents in person for


holiday booking advice. “A proper travel agent still has


an important role on the high street,” he said. “The public realise that and come to us for advice. And we really look after them.” Munro said there had been no


progress on external investment since Barrhead asked accountants BDO to look for financial backing to boost its expansion plans. “If that happens, we could double the size of the business in


12 months,” he said. › Conference report, page 12


5 Carrick Travel buys four-shop Roma


Juliet Dennis juliet.dennis@travelweekly.co.uk


Carrick Travel has expanded from nine to 13 branches with the acquisition of high street agency Roma Travel.


The retailer has bought the four-


branch agency for an undisclosed sum and has not ruled out further growth on the high street. Roma Travel has branches in


Grantham, Newark, Bingham and Keyworth in the East Midlands. They will join Carrick’s


existing network of shops across Warwickshire, Worcestershire, the West Midlands and the Cotswolds. All 10 of Roma Travel’s staff are


staying with the business, with the shops retaining their name until a planned rebrand as Carrick Travel at a future date. As a result of the deal, Roma


Travel will leave the Advantage Travel Partnership consortium to join Elite Travel Group, which is part of Advantage. Roma Travel owner Rob King


is to retire but will stay on as a consultant at least until March.


6 travelweekly.co.uk 16 November 2017


“It’s all about the right fit. If acquisition opportunities arise, we are interested”


The acquisition is Carrick’s


first since managing director Tina Nason and director Tracey Carter bought the business in 2012. Nason said Roma Travel shared the same core values as Carrick. She added: “We are now


protecting the company’s future with expansion. The additional


turnover will help the company as a whole with economies of scale and we are looking forward to ensuring the Carrick name goes from strength to strength.” Nason said it was “business as


usual” for all of the team following the acquisition. Carter said Carrick remained


open to further acquisition opportunities but had no target. “We are not hell-bent on getting


to 20 branches,” she said. “It’s all about the right fit and if opportunities arise, we are interested.”


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