P&O TRAVEL has doubled its number of UKbusiness travel agencies after buying Harvey Thomas Travel for an undisclosed sum.
Harvey Thomas, which has an annual turnover of £35m, has six branches based in London and the southeast.
The acquisition will give P&O Travel an annual turnover of £138m.
P&O Travel managing director Tony Hughes said: “This acquisition will take us into an area where we do not currently have branches, with the exception of the City where we now have two.
“It keeps us abreast of the group of business travel agents behind the multiples although this won’t take us anywhere near the size of the multiples.”
He said the Harvey Thomas shops will be rebranded P&OTravel. “This will happen over a period of time,” said Hughes. “The Harvey Thomas name is well known in these areas.”
Hughes said the 84 HarveyThomas staff will stay. However, Harvey Thomas chairman Roger Thompson and director John Shepperd will retire.
Hughes added:”They decided to retire before selling the business. The rest of the senior management team will be integrated into the newcompany.”