Dawson & Sanderson is to relocate its flagship store to the “northeast’s busiest high street” as part of a £2 million investment.
The 23-shop agency chain is moving its Newcastle store and head office from Ridley Place, its location for more than 40 years, to adjoining Northumberland Street.
Managing director Chris Harrison said the move, planned for mid-April, would make a big difference in terms of footfall.
The 56-year-old business will be one of the only regional brands on the high street, known as the busiest shopping street in the northeast of England.
All 50 staff, including 25 travel consultants, will move to the new ‘superstore’, which will house retail staff on one level and head office staff in offices above the shop.
The new premises will be given a complete refurbishment to give it a “modern look and feel”.
Dawson & Sanderson is also recruiting a “couple” more consultants to work in the store.
Consultants are split into experts in cruise, worldwide and beach holidays, and separate customer opening events are planned in partnerships with different suppliers.
The new store will also include a large foreign exchange area, staffed by eight consultants, and will retain traditional brochure racks and window posters.
Harrison said: “We want to retain our identity as a travel agency. It [will have] a simplistic design – a hybrid of comfort with a modern touch.
“Northumberland is a much busier street. All city centres are shrinking and what was a good secondary location [Ridley Place] is now not. To have a thriving business we need to be in the prime locations.”
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