Carrick Travel name to continue as seven shops join Midcounties Co-operative

Seven Carrick Travel agency outlets and 29 jobs have been saved after the owners agreed a transfer deal with The Midcounties Co-operative.

They will become part of Midcounties’ Co-operative Travel division, but will retain the Carrick Travel name.

Four shops in the Carrick Travel portfolio have not transferred to Co-operative Travel and closed at the end of September.

Carrick Travel owners Tina Nason and Tracey Carter will not transfer with the business.

They said: "It is with a heavy heart that we bid farewell to Carrick Travel. However, we are incredibly happy that the journeys of our valued customers and many of our talented colleagues will continue under Co-operative Travel.

"The protection of our staff and clients has always been our highest priority. By agreeing a transfer with Midcounties Co-operative, particularly with the security that being part of a diverse business provides during these tough times in travel, we are ensuring the protection of our clients and as many of our colleagues’ jobs as possible. 

"We have operated Carrick Travel very much as a family business with our stores playing an important role in the communities they serve. 

"Co-operative Travel’s community-focused mindset and principles of care and compassion match our own ethos and we know that our team members and clients will be passed into very safe hands."

The branches transferring to Co-operative Travel are in Kenilworth, Leamington Spa and Stratford Upon Avon, all in Warwickshire; Cheylesmore, in the West Mids; Pershore, in Worcestershire; Grantham, in Lincolnshire and Newark, in Nottinghamshire.

The move follows an earlier transfer agreement with Central England Co-operative, which saw 16 of the society’s travel shops join Midcounties’ Co-operative Travel in August and takes Midcounties’ portfolio of travel shops to 78.

Rad Sofronijevic, Chief Operating Officer for Midcounties Co-operative’s travel division, said: "Despite the challenges of Covid-19, travel remains core to Midcounties’ long-term strategy.

"The transfer of Carrick Travel gives us the opportunity to grow the Co-operative Travel operations for the benefit of our members, with shops that are located in the heart of their communities and to serve an additional customer base that complements our own.

"We look forward to nurturing and supporting the former Carrick Travel branches and their staff. Their welcome addition will strengthen the position of Midcounties Co-operative’s travel division for the future."

Carrick Travel’s 11 shops supported 10,000 customers with their travel arrangements over the last 12 months.