HOMEWORKING agencies are poised to snap up MyTravel staff following the news that 110 Going Places shops will close this month.
Going Places’ parent company MyTravel announced this week it had brought forward a 20% cull of its shops by a year, because of huge growth of its Internet sales. The web represented 16% of all UK sales last month compared with 9% in October last year.
The shop closures will cost £14 million, to be recorded as an exceptional item in this year’s accounts, and leave the group with 500 shops.
Under-performing branches and shops where there is another branch nearby are top of the closure list.
Going Places managing director Tim Clancy remained tight-lipped on which stores will go, but said: “This is about property, not people. Closing these stores will save £10 million a year yet we do not expect any significant impact on sales.”
Homeworking company Travel Counsellors has already set up a dedicated telephone number for Going Places staff to ring in confidence, while Hays Travel and Holiday Experts have said they are also interested in recruiting staff.
Travel trade union Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association negotiations officer Rick Justham slammed MyTravel’s decision as “short sighted”.