New travel shop in Brigg town centre about to open its doors
A BRIGG travel shop is to be brought back to life, three months after it closed due to its then-owner going into administration.
The former Bowen Travel Group (BTG) premises on Wrawby Street will be relaunched as The Brigg Travel Company on Saturday, January 19.
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Liz Rick (left) and Gemma Tierling outside the new Brigg Travel Company
The new company has been launched by Elizabeth Rick, who managed the BTG shop, and her business partner Clive Thompson.
Mrs Rick, who has 15 years' experience in the travel industry, said she did not want to see the shop remain empty.
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With that in mind, she made the decision to start her own business, to keep a service for loyal customers in the town.
She said: "I have never worked in a town where I have felt the customers are more loyal. This is the next step for me. I love the customers and there is nowhere else I would rather work.
"I have worked my way up from a part-time consultant to manager and it is not something I wanted to let go.
"I knew we could do a lot more, which is what I am planning on doing.
"There is going to be an out-of-hours number so customers can still reach us after 5pm. And there are other things we are planning on doing to make it a totally different holiday experience.
"We are going to be doing different events on the first Saturday of every month. We are going to have a website and customers who book with us will get a loyalty voucher."
Mrs Rick beat 60,000 others to be crowned the Travel Trade Gazette's travel seller of the year for 2012.
She will be joined by assistant manager Gemma Tierling on a part-time basis. She is also advertising for another full-time member of staff.
BTG went into administration on October 26 and Mrs Rick has now taken over the lease for the building.
The new shop will open to the public for the first time on Monday, January 21, after the initial launch event.
It will run as a franchise of the Hays Travel company, meaning all holidays will be Association of British Travel Agents protected.
Mrs Rick said: "I am going to focus on cruising, package holidays and dynamic package holidays, plus UK breaks."
The Glebe Road Store in Brigg is now under new ownership. The new owner is Mr Thileepan, who owns Sathi's in Scunthorpe.
Comments
by BeckyNC
Friday, January 18 2013, 7:04PM
“Such a shame i see negative comments on the above story....I know Liz and infact she cared about her customers so much she has taken on the venture herself, she belives as do i that booking a holiday should be a personal experiance, yes of course you can book on the net but when things go wrong who do you turn too...oh yes a automated telephone. In this current climate we should be supporting and encouraging small businesses not trying to bring them down before they have evan started. Good luck Liz, Gemma and Jason you will all do fantastic your some of the best people in Travel with a world of experiance between you!”
by gandmsmith
Wednesday, January 16 2013, 10:38PM
“I certainly wont be booking there anymore. I booked from when they was applebys and Ive heard that they knew what was going to happen with bills not being paid. No way will I book there again. Silly idea if you ask me to take over a business that was quite big compared to what is there now, very risky.”
by buffering
Wednesday, January 16 2013, 9:56PM
“Like with lots of things in this modern world of convenience and irrationality that we live in, some people still like and want a personal touch.
The best of luck to you both.”
by gordonio
Wednesday, January 16 2013, 4:51PM
“I think I must be a dinosaur when it comes to booking holidays Harry, I always pop down to my local Co-op travel agent and let her do the booking, I pick out my destination and accommodation before-hand though, just makes me feel safer.
I also don't do internet banking, preferring the old face to face across counter experience, but at least my bank won't be in administration some time soon, fingers crossed!”
by HarryWorth
Wednesday, January 16 2013, 1:14PM
“How long this time?
With more and more of us buying holidays and other travel arrangements on-line, like "record" and "camera" shops, travel agents are living on borrowed time.”
by HarryWorth
Wednesday, January 16 2013, 12:55PM
“How long this time?
With more and more of us buying holidays and other travel arrangements on-line, like "record" and "camera" shops, town centre travel agencies are living on borrowed time.
(I do hope no one has risked their house on such an venture).”