Hays Travel’s Broughton branch has reopened after a £200,000 refurbishment, with staff now looking forward to “the best January ever”.
Dame Irene Hays visited the Flintshire store, near the Wales-England border, on Tuesday (December 19) to celebrate the completion of the seven-week makeover.
Branch manager Emma Manley said: “We’re so proud of our shop and can’t wait to reopen and welcome our lovely customers back.”
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The shop was first opened by Thomas Cook in 2000, before being taken over by Hays Travel in 2019.
Pre-refurbishment the store layout was considered impractical, with a high ceiling that meant the space was difficult to heat and changing a lightbulb required a cherry-picker, said Manley.
Manley said: “After the collapse of Thomas Cook in 2019, and then the pandemic, this coming January will be the first for several years with nothing stopping us.
“We have a gorgeous new look and a full team – this is going to be the best January ever.”
Hays Travel retail director Jane Schumm said: “We have a three-year refurbishment strategy and this has been our most ambitious and expensive refit to date.
“We are committed to making branches more appealing and welcoming, while also improving energy efficiency across our retail estate.
“Broughton still has the wow factor, but it’s now accessible, efficient, and easier to maintain. We are really pleased with the results and look forward to hearing what our customers and staff think.”
Hays said: “It was an absolute pleasure to join customers and suppliers visiting our refurbished Broughton branch.
“We all received a hugely warm welcome and Emma and her team’s enthusiasm is infectious – it’s no surprise that customers from all around the area love booking their holidays here.”
The reopening event was attended by staff and customers as well as suppliers including Celebrity Cruises, Scenic River Cruises, Gold Medal, Jet2holidays, If Only and Do Something Different.
Children from years four, five and six at Broughton Primary School sang Christmas songs.