Trade rallies to support Baldwins staff after agency enters receivership

Independent travel agencies have thrown a jobs lifeline to Baldwins Travel staff after the company went into receivership.

 

Receivers were called after a period in which the business was expelled from Abta, had its Iata accreditation suspended and left the Advantage Travel Partnership.

 

The 11-branch agency had about 50 staff, some of whom have already found new jobs in travel.

 

The Sussex Travel Company, which has a branch in Horsham and a sister branch in Storrington, has taken on two former Baldwins agents.

 

More: Trade rallies to support Baldwins staff after agency enters receivership

 

Director Tanya Pace said the staff, from Baldwins’ Uckfield and Haywards Heath branches, were joining its Storrington branch as full-time travel consultants.

 

She said: “We were looking for staff so the timing worked out well.

 

“I’m just really pleased we were able to find positions for them. They will both work in the same branch so they can help each other and learn our selling system together.”

 

She described the closure of another high street agency as “so sad”.

 

Off Broadway Travel, based in Welwyn, Hertfordshire, announced on LinkedIn it had recruited three former Baldwins staff and would be “thrilled to welcome more”.

 

Owner Tricia Conroy Smith said her team was “deeply saddened” by the news about Baldwins and urged its staff to get in touch.

 

She said: “If any members of staff would like to investigate a flexible working arrangement with Off Broadway Travel, please get in touch privately for a no-obligation conversation.”

 

Go Scoble Travel owner Chris Scoble hopes to recruit an experienced agent to work in his Tunbridge Wells shop. “I’m genuinely sad for the town,” he added.

 

 

Tour operator Pettitts Travel, based in Tunbridge Wells, said it hoped to discuss a potential opportunity for a senior sales consultant with Baldwins staff.

Head of leisure travel Lauren Curd said: “We are saddened to hear that such a long-established local business is no longer trading.

“As a fellow part of this community, we recognise the value and experience of its team. We welcome any former staff to reach out to us regarding potential employment opportunities with us.”

 

Baldwins’ closure was described as the “end of an era” by one former employee, who said: “It’s just so sad, having worked for Baldwins for so many years, being a loyal member of the team, I’ve made so many memories along the way, which I’m so grateful for. Hopefully good things are around the corner.”

 

Many in the trade have voiced support for staff on social media.

 

Malvern World Travel owner Lee Harrison said on Travel Weekly’s Facebook page the staff “were (and still are) amazing”.

 

Hays Travel cruise call centre general manager Carol Macaskill, who started her career in Tunbridge Wells, said Baldwins was “the go-to agency” in the town, adding: “Good luck to all the staff.”

 

Advantage Travel Partnership is hosting a webinar later this week to help any former Baldwins staff looking to set up on their own or work with others to run their own high-street agency.

The consortium has invited ex-Baldwins staff to register for the webinar on May 23, which will focus on the consortium’s Advantage Managed Services (AMS) division and its homeworking membership options.

AMS allows agents to concentrate on day-to-day sales and marketing tasks while Advantage takes on the administrative role of running the travel agency, with all customer monies put in a ringfenced trust fund.

The webinar is being hosted by business development managers Gemma Sparrow, Zoe Adams, Catherine Reeves and Richard Litherland, who have already one webinar for ex-Baldwins staff this week.