Three former Thomas Cook employees who faced losing their jobs have been taken on by Miles Morgan Travel to run a new shop.
The Abergavenny branch of Miles Morgan Travel, its 12th shop, opened last week in the revamped premises of accessories and jewellery store Claire’s.
The three staff all worked at nearby Co‑operative Travel shops, owned by Thomas Cook, which have now closed as part of its cost-cutting programme.
Morgan said: “To get such a decent rent in a high street location was too good an opportunity to miss and to be able to recruit fantastic staff sealed the deal.”
He added: “Abergavenny has always been on the list. It only has one other travel agency and with its population it warrants another.”
Manager Eva Hanley (pictured right) and travel consultant Amy Corran (pictured left) worked together for 12 years at the former The Co-operative Travel in Crickhowell, while the other consultant Kathryn Garvey worked at The Co-operative Travel in Ebbw Vale for the past 14 years.
In a comment piece written for Travel Weekly, Morgan said Thomas Cook was losing some “true professionals” as part of its policy to cut 2,500 jobs.
He said: “These sort of staff do not grow on trees.”
The new branch, in the centre of Abergavenny in Monmouthshire, has a small VIP area and offers a bureau de change desk.
Hanley said: “Footfall so far has been superb and we’re all very excited to be here. No one wants to be told they are in consultancy, it’s scary. It came as a relief to get a job so quickly as we are in a rural area and jobs are difficult to come across.”
Morgan said he would look at opportunities for new openings, but has no further branches planned in the near future.