Updated on October 14
Hays Travel had re-opened 138 former Thomas Cook stores by the close of business on Friday, since it took on the leases of the failed travel giant’s shops earlier in the week..
The agency has now hired 1,761 former Thomas Cook staff so far, including frontline travel agents and regional managers, and says its recruitment team will be working over the weekend.
Shops to have re-opened are based in Northumberland, Teesside, Tyne and Wear, Darlington, Yorkshire, the Midlands, Northern Ireland and Wales.
Hays Travel acquired short-term leases for all 555 of Thomas Cook’s travel agencies this week, and plans to re-open them all.
More: Q&A: John and Irene Hays on Thomas Cook shops deal
Hays Travel reveals details of plans for Thomas Cook shops
In a statement, the UK’s largest independent agency said: “We are delighted to say that we now have many former Thomas Cook stores open with their original staff in place, and customers are popping in to welcome them back while we get trading up and running.”
Owners John and Irene Hays, who made an appearance on ITV’s Good Morning Britain today to discuss the takeover, added: “We are really humbled at the fantastic response there has been from our wonderful staff, our customers, suppliers, friends and many complete strangers who believe in what we’re doing.
“There’s a huge will to see our high street shops thrive and we’re determined that we will be doing our bit for the travel industry with the help of everyone in the now extended Hays family. We’d like to thank everyone who has helped make this happen – we know the hard work is just beginning for our brilliant teams.
“Our intention is to keep the stores trading profitably and building on some of the Hays Travel business approach and ethos, supported by our brilliant people, we are in good stead.”
The full list of Thomas Cook shops to have re-opened as Hays Travel are:
Northern Ireland
Ballymena Fairhill
Ballymena Wellington St
Bangor Bloomfield Centre
Belfast Castle Court
Belfast Connswater
Belfast Finaghy
Belfast Forestside
Belfast Park
Belfast Victoria
Carrickfergus
Coleraine
Cookstown
Glengormley
Larne
Lisburn
Newry
Newtownabbey
Newtownards
Omagh
Portadown
Scotland
West
Alexandria
Annan
Ayr
Clydebank
Cumnock
East Kilbride
East Kilbride princes square
Givan
Glasgow Forge
Glasgow Rutherglen
Glasgow Sliverburn
Greenock
Johnstone
Newton Mearns
Troon
Aberdeen Bon Accord
Airdrie
Elgin
Largs
England
South East
Huntingdon
Peterborough
South West
Bristol Kingswood
Eastleigh Market Street
Hedge End
Keynsham
Southampton Bitterne Road
Southampton Locks Heath
Southampton West Quay
Plymouth old town
Plymouth Road
Plymouth Transit way
Plympton
Norfolk and Essex
Norwich
Leeds/Yorkshire
Alfreton
Anlaby
Barnsley Eldon St
Beverley 24 Toll Gavel
Bradford Broadway
Brighthouse
Castleford
Chesterfield
Driffield
Grimsby
Halifax Cornmarket
Hillsborough
Holmfirth
Huddersfield
Hull
Hull Holderness Road
Ilkley
Keighley Airedale Centre
Leeds Crossgates
Leeds Garforth
Leeds Rothwell
Leeds White Rose
Mansfield
Mansfield Four Seasons
Mirfield
Monks Cross
Pontefract Market Place
Pudsey
Retford
Scunthorpe
Selby Market Place
Sheffield Bradway
Sheffield Crystal Peaks
Sheffield Fargate
Skegness
Slaithwaite
Sutton in Ashfield
Wakefield Asdale Road
Wakefield North Gate
Wombwell
Worksop
York Clifton Moor
North East
Alnwick
Bishop Auckland
Consett
Cramlington
Darlington North Road
Darlington Prospect Place
Durham
Hartlepool
Killingworth
Metrocentre
Metrocentre
Middlesbrough
Morpeth
Newcastle
Prudhoe
Redcar
Scarborough Westborough
South Shields
Sunderland Doxford park
Sunderland Bridges
Teesside Park
Wallsend
Washington
North West
Barrow In Furness
Ulverston
West Midlands
Coventry Cannon Park
Stourbridge
Tamworth
East Midlands
Mansfield
Peterborough Serpentine Green
Wales
Aberdare
Blackwood
Brecon
Bridgend
Caerphilly
Carmarthen
Cwmbran
Llanelli
Neath
Newport
Pontypridd
Swansea
Tonypandy
