Henbury Travel on the move

Henbury Travel is relocating to larger premises in Chestergate following a growth in sales and an increase in higher‑value and luxury bookings.

The agency, which opened its first store on Chestergate in 2019, is to move into the former hairdressers, Mawsons, on the same street in November.

Owner Richard Slater, who has been on the lookout for new premises for some time, said: “Whilst other areas of the town are suffering as the retail space is mainly large units with expensive rents, and therefore left empty, Chestergate is all independent businesses bar one (Rymans) with smaller units, many with small business rate relief, and therefore apart from a couple of units out of just over 100, they are all occupied.”

He said the location would offer the agency an increased footfall and the opportunity to take part in town council themed events and have a stall outside for Treacle Market, a monthly market in Macclesfield’s streets with more than 150 craft, food, drink and vintage stalls. The new shop has a first floor and will be able to accommodate more staff if needed.

The agency currently employs two staff but may take on a third in future, said Slater, who is also open to having a supplier-branded wall in the new shop.

Since Covid, the agency has seen a shift in bookings, with a rise in sales of luxury and higher value holidays, with trips costing £15,000 to £20,000 now “quite the norm” in comparison to pre-Covid when £20,000 was considered a maximum spend for the agency’s main client base.

Slater credited increased sales to the brand’s higher profile thanks to more clients seeking the reassurance of a travel professional; and winning business from other agencies when customers seek a second opinion.

“We have got 80 years’ experience between the three of us [staff] and you can’t put a price on that,” he said, adding: “That is not to say we have moved away from our big client base for great value bucket and spade holidays,” added Slater, stressing he had opted to kept the agency’s image traditional rather than opting for a luxury look to avoid alienating any customers.

He said: “I chose not to have ‘luxury branding’ that would put barriers in front of people who wanted to book. Your luxury trip might be a five-star cruise, but the next customer’s luxury might be a cheap week in Greece and so you have to be available to all budgets.”

Henbury Travel was named the small agency of the year for northwest England and north Wales at the 2022 Agent Achievement Awards.