South Shields agency Westoe Travel has hailed the success of its Carabao Cup final packages over the weekend – despite the fact that Newcastle United lost the match on Sunday (February 26).
Graeme Brett, Westoe Travel owner, said the agency took more than 2,540 supporters from the Toon Army to London, having sold a range of hotel packages with coach or rail transport.
The agency had worked through the night on January 31 after the Magpies booked their place in the final against Manchester United.
An estimated 90,000 fans from both teams descended on the capital for the game, with thousands of Newcastle fans congregating in Trafalgar Square on Saturday (February 25).
Great feedback from #NUFC supporters about the amazing signage on our @westoetravel family coach to Wembley today.
Thank you so much to @jhcoaches for allowing us to use your brand new coach.#awaydays#coachadventurespic.twitter.com/0YfFqS7Xlp— Westoe Travel (@westoetravel) February 26, 2023
Graeme Brett, Westoe Travel owner, said: “After a record January it kept us busy. With the trains and coaches with hotels and those going for the day by train and coach we took more than 2,540 supporters and hopefully many of those will come back to book their next holiday
“Everything went like clockwork. Our biggest worry was that the rail unions called a strike but we avoided that.
“Local coach operator J H Coaches from Birtley loaned us their brand new coach for our family day return coach and had it especially sign-written for Newcastle United.”
Brett also managed to get a ticket to the final, thanks to reservations agent Faisal Farooq from Travelpack.
He tweeted about the coach and rail journeys that fans made and said there was “great feedback” from supporters about the branded vehicle from J H Coaches.
Newcastle lost 2-0 to Manchester United in their bid for the team’s first major trophy since 1969.
