Miles Morgan Travel has purchased Howard Travel in Wiltshire, bringing the group’s total number of shops to 11.
Howard Travel, based in Trowbridge, will become part of the Miles Morgan Travel group in mid-2011, It will not change its name and owner Howard Edgington will carry on working at the shop he set up 23 years ago as well as the 16 staff.
Miles Morgan Travel owner Miles Morgan said: “In my years in the industry I have seen so many companies make the mistake of changing the names of successful businesses that they have bought and then wondering why the customers moved away that I am determined we won’t make that mistake.”
Edgington said the deal offered Howard Travel access to better technology, marketing and training. He added: “This deal gives excellent job security for staff and will enable us to improve the facilities that we offer our customers.”
Miles Morgan Travel, part of the Hays Independence Group, did not disclose how much it paid for Howard Travel. Morgan set up his own chain of travel agencies after leaving Thomson in 2006, where he was sales and marketing director.
He originally bought ten agencies and then closed two because of leasing issues. In June 2010 he bought two Harvey World Travel agencies in Taunton and Yeovil.