Hays Travel is to expand beyond the northeast into the Leeds and Bradford area as part of “the most unprecedented period of growth” in its history.
The UK’s largest independent agency chain, which announced last month that it was rebranding its Bath Travel shops to Hays Travel, is set to open six Hays outlets in Leeds and Bradford by Christmas, creating 50 jobs.
Managing director John Hays (pictured) said: “We’ve got shops in North Yorkshire, but our focus now is on the Leeds/Bradford conurbation.”
He said two of the new branches had already been shop-fitted and that an area manager had been appointed to look after them all, suggesting that Hays plans to open more in the area after the first six.
The announcement comes just weeks after Hays Travel was included in a Sunday Times list of fastest-growing companies.
“It’s a nice accolade to be recognised for growing,” said Hays.
“I am a big believer that the time to act is when things are going well; when you have momentum.
“We did sales of £775 million last year and are in a period of the most unprecedented growth in Hays’ history. It’s very exciting.”
In the last six weeks, Hays has opened shops in Blyth, Morpeth and Cramlington in Northumberland and in Barnard Castle in County Durham. It has also opened shops in Bognor Regis, West Sussex, and Exmouth, Devon, and is reopening a shop in Chard, Somerset.
By the end of the year, Hays Travel expects to have a chain of 135 shops, including 61 rebranded Bath Travel stores, plus more than 200 homeworkers. In addition, the Hays Independence Group comprises more than 200 shops operated by 107 members.