Deben Travel owner Lee Hunt is to open a sweet shop in his high street premises and move his agency business to a potentially less profitable location.
Hunt has factored in a loss of up to £1 million as a result of the move away from the main high street in Woodbridge, Suffolk, to a new, quieter development on the town’s waterfront – but said it will result in better working conditions for staff and improved mental health.
His existing premises, which has a seven year lease remaining, will open as Sweets in early July after a refit. It will have 75 sweet bins, including pick and mix, American style confectionery and a wedding cart and mini Ferris wheel which can be filled with sweets and hired out for weddings and events.
The new Deben Travel in Whisstocks Place is larger and has a kitchen area and two separate offices for administration. It opens on June 4.
The move has cost just under £80,000 and Hunt has even had to pay rent for the empty shop for the last five months due to delays securing an internet connection.
He said: “The shop is now pretty much ready to go, we just need to transfer customer files and brochures across.”
He admitted customers had questioned the move off the high street but said: “I am not worried. We have only got space for four desks in our current store and a small back office; if I am doing paperwork I have to do it on the shop floor.
“Having more space will make such a difference. We are in our 13th year and it will be the first time staff can sit down and eat lunch.
“I am doing this for quality of life and staff happiness and mental health. I have accounted for a loss of up to £1 million and if we do lose that in sales it’s fine.
“Last year we had our best year ever and now all I want is to make enough money to go on a few nice holidays and to make sure my staff are comfortable.”
Hunt has invested in unusual furnishing for the new shop, including two former business class airline seats, originally owned by Iceland Air, and a ship’s telegraph pole, while there are new desks and brochure racks and pictures by a local artist on the wall.
He hopes the quirky furnishings and picturesque location could also attract a younger demographic of customers.
“My hope is that we retain our current database, of which a high percentage are above a certain age, and that we might attract a younger audience of ‘Instagrammers’ to our more trendy environment. They can sit in airline seats for pictures.”
The shop is also moving to an appointment-based system, with the aim of having 80% of business through appointments by the end of the year.
“It’s easier for us and customers have said they would prefer it. Often they come to see us and we’re busy and they have to wait when they only have limited time on their car parking. With appointments, customers know they will see someone, but it doesn’t mean we will turn away all walk-ins,” he added.
The move will also mean the agency can take on new staff, with new trainee agent Emily Nunn starting in June as the sixth member of staff.
In future staff may also take on specialisms to deal with enquiries such as cruise, for example. The agency previously had a separate cruise agency, Cruise Ready, which closed during the pandemic.
Hunt is also hopeful there will be some cross-selling across his agency and sweet shop – for example wedding clients who hire out the sweet cart may want to book a honeymoon, or families who book in the agency could receive ‘golden tickets’ for their children to get free sweets.
“I considered lots of options for this shop but the main reason I chose this was that you have to do something you have a passion for – and I love sweets,” he said.