The owners of Westoe Travel celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary on the same day as they notched up 16 years’ trading in their travel agency’s current premises.
Couple Joan and Graeme Brett set up the South Shields travel agency in 1989, originally in the family newsagent’s shop on Westoe Road, also the departure point for the Blueline Intercity coach service to London.
In the early days, clients bought coach tickets from the agency and then snacks for travel on their journey from the newsagent in the same shop.
As the business grew, it was moved to its current standalone premises, seven doors away at 120 Westoe Road, on July 4, 2005 – the Bretts’ wedding anniversary.
Graeme, co-founder of travel agent action group Target, said: “I chose American Independence Day as a wedding day so I wouldn’t forget the anniversary!”
The couple, who worked in the insurance sector prior to setting up a travel agency, had planned a big American Independence Day celebration for family and friends followed by a trip to the US. But as a result of Covid, they instead opted for a weekend away at a lodge in Yorkshire.
“We are both desperate to travel again,” said Joan, 60, an Elite Canada specialist with Destination Canada, who has been to Canada 30 times. “We always take every opportunity we can to travel as you never know when we will be prevented from travelling. This has proved so right in the last 18 months.”
Graeme, 62, who usually arranges his own fam trip to Australia every year with other Premier Australian specialist agents, added: “We both love to travel and explore new places but our favourite destinations are Canada, Alaska and Florida. Looking for bears and other wildlife in a remote part of the West Coast of Canada or Alaska is our perfect holiday and is our first preference for a holiday every year.”
