A Holidaysplease homeworker is joining forces with a local gift shop to relaunch a travel agency presence on the town’s high street for the first time in 15 years.
Homeworker Jo Shayler will open ‘Holidaysplease on Connaught’ in Frinton-on-sea in Essex on August 25 in an outdoor space at the back of gift shop Great Danes on Connaught Avenue in the town.
It will be the first time Frinton has had a walk-in travel agency in the town since Connaught Travel occupied the very same shop prior to Great Danes opening 15 years ago.
The outdoor space, called The Patio, will be operated by Shayler every Wednesday on an appointment-only basis. It boasts a fire pit and infrared lamps and will also be used for client events.
Shayler said: “The Patio is the perfect environment for meeting with local people looking for a personal travel adviser. I live in Frinton and I am conscious there is no travel presence on the high street.
“I will be working there once a week to start with to give people an opportunity to meet me and gain more confidence in their local travel agent.”
Shayler, who specialises in luxury beach escapes, honeymoons, weddings, multi-centres and group holidays, said the idea came about after both businesses decided Frinton was lacking a good quality travel agency.
She first met the owners of Great Danes, Mike and Birgitte McLain, when she went into their shop five years ago and has since been looking after their holidays.
The Great Dane owners have offered the space rent-free in a bid to support another local business.
Mike McLain said: “The last 18 months have taught us the importance of having a local presence built on loyal clients and a personalised service. Jo is equally passionate about those values and one of the few positives to come out of this crisis has been the value and security in booking holidays with an accredited travel agent.
“She is a pleasure to work with, listens to her clients and uses her incredible industry knowledge and relationships to find great choices. We feel this is a great opportunity for Frinton to discover they have an award-winning travel professional in the community, and we are looking forward to hosting her at The Patio.”
He added: “Great Danes has been on Connaught Avenue for 19 years, but before us, the shop belonged to Connaught Travel, so it feels kind of poetic that ‘Holidaysplease on Connaught’ will be working from the same address.”
Shayler will continue to work at home on the other six days of the week.