The director of failed travel agency Village Travel is considering a future in homeworking after having “no choice” but to cease trading on the high street.
Village Travel, based in Cheam village in Surrey, was an Advantage managed services member and had “no choice” but to cease trading at the end of August due to cash flow difficulties.
The agency started off as Travel World and later became Ambassador Travel. Staff bought the business when Ambassador Travel failed in 2013 and rebranded it Village Travel. It was due to celebrate 40 years’ trading next year.
Director Jennie Watson, who owned the business with Tara Munson, said the lack of new bookings and the fact the business was having to pay back commissions to operators where holidays had been cancelled meant the agency had been battling cash flow problems for months.
She said: “I was prepared to continue to ride it out with no wages and try to keep the shop going but in the end we were backed into a corner and had no choice.
“We had hoped to get to Christmas but the decision got taken out of our hands.
“It’s very hard for small agencies like us because we don’t have a huge cash flow and to be out of operation for all of lockdown and then for travel to not start up again…. Even when we take bookings we don’t earn money until people travel. The industry needs more help.”
Two staff who had been furloughed have now been made redundant.
Watson, who has worked at the agency since 2004, said she now hoped to take on a job in homeworking and was exploring possible options to stay in the industry.
“Travel is something I love. A lot of my clients still want to book with me so if I can join a homeworking business and still work locally then I can claw something back of the business,” she added.
