Popular travel agent to open new branch in Worthing - 'It ticked every box'

Fred. Olsen Travel offers worldwide holidays, cruises, city breaks, weddings and honeymoons. It serves customers online and via high street travel agencies across Sussex, East Anglia and the south coast.

According to its website, many of the agents’ options are ‘tailor-made’ to customers needs ‘so that you can be sure the holiday includes everything you want to see and do’.

The business is set to open a branch in Worthing’s Royal Arcade next week.

Trevor Ridler, business development manager for Sussex, said: “Worthing was a no brainer. It ticked every box.

"The Arcade is fantastic and the perfect location for us. We like to think we are in the same realm of personal service. People use The Arcade as a cut-through so they can discover us that way.

“We have got plans to keep expanding in this area.”

Established in 1988, the business gathered pace with a series of high-street retail shops in East Anglia, which were later joined by agencies in Dorset and Hampshire.

More recently, the company has diversified online with the introduction of websites focusing on river cruising, city breaks and even expeditions to Antarctica and the North Pole.

A shop in Heathfield opened just after the pandemic before a new branch opened in Eastbourne in August this year. They have proven successful – leading to the expansion in West Sussex.

“The consensus was Worthing would be perfect,” Trevor explained.

"There was a fantastic national article saying Worthing 'is the place to move to', as it’s up and coming.

"It has the right clientele, with like-minded people for the type of products we sell. Worthing gives the opportunity to expand in places like Lancing and Hove.”

Trevor said ‘word of mouth is important’ for the business, with staff known to organise and attend public events in neighbouring towns.

"We like to be based in places people can discover us, so we can spend time with clients,” he said.

“It feels like your own consultation rather than travel agents putting holidays on a conveyor belt.

"The store is lovely, it's a lovely size. Once we are fully staffed, we will probably have two consultants a day in there. Hopefully by the new year, we will get a third member of staff in as well.”

Worthing resident Kelly Virgo will be the store manager.

Trevor said: “We are still recruiting for one more role. We are doing all the final touches and training before a soft opening, full-time from Monday (December 4).

"Until we get staffing sorted out, we will close on Saturdays. We will go to six days a week at the beginning of January.”

Fred. Olsen Travel has been a fixture on the high street for 35 years with 18 travel agencies: ten in East Anglia in Ipswich, Felixstowe, Woodbridge, Framlingham, Colchester, Bury St Edmunds, Beccles and Norwich; six on the South coast in Hythe, Lymington, Westbourne, Christchurch, Ferndown and Dorchester; and two in the South East in Heathfield and Eastbourne.

A spokesperson for the company said: “Each branch has its own strong identity and is run passionately by the branch manager and team who look to deliver unrivalled service and knowledge when sourcing the best holidays and cruises for their customers.

"In an age when much is made of the decline of the high street it is worth noting that Fred. Olsen Travel Agents have actually increased their number of high street outlets, adding eight new shops in the past four years.”