Stockport travel agents opens with former Thomas Cook team

Barrhead Travel has invested in a new travel agents in Stockport’s Merseyway Shopping Centre, bringing five former Thomas Cook staff back to work.

The new store opened Thursday 13^th February, with an official grand opening and ribbon-cutting on Friday 21^st February, attended by Mayor and Mayoress of Stockport, Cllr Laura Booth and Mrs Lynne Glover.

The travel agents have partnered with Beechwood Cancer Care and plan on supporting the Stockport charity with fundraising events and volunteering at the centre.

The Scottish-headquartered business confirmed their expansion plans last year in the wake of the Thomas Cook collapse. The travel group plan on opening up to 100 new stores with the first 20 planned for opening by the end of March.

Employees from Stockport’s former Thomas Cook store have spent time at Barrhead Travel’s dedicated Training Academy in Glasgow. The store follows Barrhead Travel’s signature conceptual design and will be equipped with state-of-the-art technology and branded experience areas.

Headed up in Stockport by manager, Melanie Brindley, the high street travel agent will specialise in all types of holidays including cruise, long-haul, touring, city breaks, honeymoons and beach escapes. Collectively, the team have over 90 years of experience within the travel industry. Melanie, said:

Myself and my team are so pleased that we have been given the opportunity to work for Barrhead Travel. We have been given extensive training since joining which we’re certain will enhance our service offering to our customers.

“It really is wonderful that we can now tailor-make different types of holidays which also means we can sell every single type of holiday with all of the world’s best tour operators, cruise lines, hotels, airlines and attraction partners.  We are so excited to be back in a retail store and serving Stockport’s holidaymakers once again.”

Jacqueline Dobson, president of Barrhead Travel said;

I am thrilled to welcome Stockport to the Barrhead Travel family. The opening of the store reflects our unwavering commitment to the high street travel agency; investment in bricks and mortar has been at the heart of our strategy since we opened our first store in 1975 and we will continue to place focus on the physical customer journey by combining experiential technology and genuine expertise from our local teams.

“We firmly believe that the demand for an experienced and knowledgeable travel agent is still on the rise as holidaymakers seek first-hand sound advice and guaranteed financial protection for their well-earned getaways.”