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Ashdown Travel eyes fifth shop after opening branch in Knutsford
Ashdown Travel is seeking a fifth branch after its fourth high street shop opened in Knutsford, Cheshire.
The agency – which also has two shops in Kent and one in Surrey – had a soft opening at the end of November and the official opening ceremony on Wednesday (January 21).
The new branch was previously branded as Eden Luxury Travel, solely selling holidays from the upmarket operator, which is owned by founders Paul Beacall and Jon Clee, who also own Ashdown Travel.
Originally just one shop in Oxted, Surrey, Ashdown Travel expanded to a three-shop operation last year, following the recruitment of 10 former Baldwins Travel staff, including Tricia Lester, now head of retail.
She told Travel Weekly: “Since the expansion of Ashdown Travel, it was decided that all the retail outlets should be under the Ashdown Travel name…so the shop that was Eden is now Ashdown and can offer clients much more.”
Lester said the three staff in the rebranded shop – Lizzie Seabridge, Jo Gallimore and Suzi Austin – can now deal with a whole range of suppliers, ranging from luxury operators to more mainstream brands such as easyJet holidays.
“It is widening the offering to clients and getting us more clients,” she said.
She also said the Advantage Travel Partnership member is looking to expand further.
“We’re looking at number five, we’re not stopping at four,” she said.
“These are exciting times. There could be opportunities in [the Knutsford] area or down south, nothing is off the table.”
She said the shop is “a vote of confidence” in the high street and the staff of three are “delighted” to be part of Ashdown Travel because they can sell “a lot more” to their clients.
“It has been decorated like the other Ashdown Travel branches with bespoke brochure racks and a lounge area – it looks beautiful,” she added.
“We had the opening with the mayor of Knutsford cutting the ribbon – and with clients and suppliers, such as Abercrombie & Kent, Anzcro, APT, Domes, Grecotel, If Only, Intrepid Travel, Railbookers, Scenic and Emerald, and Travelsphere.
“It’s good for the tour operators too as Ashdown will be able to do more business with them.
“It is an affluent area – the location is key for the luxury market.”
Lester said peaks have been going “amazingly well” for the four Ashdown branches.
“We are selling a mix of luxury, cruise, long-haul, tours…we do everything, and not just luxury,” she said.
“In December, people had held off a bit because of the budget but we have hit the ground running in January – there are amazing offers out there and clients are taking advantage of that.
“We have hit our January targets in three of the four shops already and there is still another week to go.”
One key factor in the sales success was a direct mailing of a 20-page A4 holiday magazine to people in Tunbridge Wells, Sevenoaks, Oxted and Knutsford.
“Lots of tour operators have worked with us, advertising in the magazine,” she said.
“The shops are going from strength to strength, I am over the moon.
“We have invested heavily in the branches and the look and feel of the brand – and our teams are well trained, informed and experienced. It is starting to pay off.”
More: Ashdown Travel unveils new luxury focus as it opens Tunbridge Wells branch
Ashdown Travel to open more branches after recruiting 10 ex-Baldwins staff
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