Travel Chaps expands with first high street shop

The two directors of homeworking agency Travel Chaps have picked up the keys to their first high street store, which will open in Lincoln this month.

Matt Phillips and husband Ashley are also taking on two experienced travel agents who will start in the shop in June, followed by an apprentice, who is being recruited via AS Training.

The Not Just Travel agents switched from their corporate business backgrounds to set up Travel Chaps from home in 2022 and since then the agency has “gone from strength to strength”, said Matt.

It has grown from the spare bedroom at home in Branston, near Lincoln, to an office built at home.

“Customers can see us there, but we wanted some separation, so we wanted retail premises,” said Matt. 

Decorators will begin the refit of a former dry cleaners premises in the Bailgate area of Lincoln this week. 

A soft launch is set for June 17, while plans are being made for an official launch in mid-July.

“It has two areas – the front for retail and the back can be a lounge with a TV and bubbles for customers, and more privacy,” said Matt. “It has free car parking and will be appointment-only.”

He said the two recruits have more expertise in the European family market than he and Ashley – and an additional recruit might be taken on later, on a hybrid basis.

So far, the agency has focused on tailor-made, safari, cruise, adventure and honeymoons.

“Honeymoons have been a big market for us and now these clients are having kids, so the staff will offer an additional facet,” said Matt. “We also want to offer a more personalised service, such as printed tickets and ticket wallets.

“The retail space helps us access different customers.”

The couple completed the purchase last month while on a fact-finding mission in Mauritius and announced the news in a Facebook post, showing the keys to the shop.

“The response has been amazing – the post has had 10,000 views and we’ve had several hundred comments and emails,” said Matt.