Waterside travel agency to close after 40 years

A travel agency has been on site on Duke Street since 1972. Originally run by Lewis Fast Travel, Co-operative Travel took over the premises in 1995. Three staff are affected by the closure-two of which have given 35 and 34 years service respectively.

It is expected that staff will be offered redeployment at the company's other Londonderry branch at Strand Road or at other branches across the region, although the staff that spoke to the Sentinel maintained that the 'new' positions will be at a lower employment level and consequently at lesser pay.

The staff's current positions are currently subject to a 30 day consultation period. The Duke Street store is due to close on November 19.

Job losses within Co-operative Travel have been expected after the recent announcement of a merger between the company and travel giants Thomas Cook. The announcement of the merger came this month and the link-up will create the UK's largest travel agent and second biggest foreign exchange operator.

Although staff at Co-operative Travel in Duke Street say they have been told that the closure of their store has nothing to do with the merger but coincides with the expiry of the current lease at the Waterside premises.

One staff member, who did not wish to be named and who has over 30 years service, told the Sentinel of the sadness experienced by staff at the store since the announcement of the closure.

"We had started to get a lot of business from across the street at Waterside House, now we are having to inform the people that their bookings will be dealt with at Strand Road," the worker said.

"I remember working at the Embassy Building for Lewis Fast Travel through the worst of the Troubles. On one occasion an explosion happened in a clothes store below us and people were screaming because they thought the street was littered with bodies when in fact it was the dummies from the shop," the worker continued.

Co-operative Travel currently employs 3,000 staff. But, Thomas Cook which will own 70 per cent of the newly formed company, is struggling with a drop in demand for overseas holidays as people within the UK opt to holiday at home.

Last month Thomas Cook confirmed it was reviewing its total UK workforce of between 13,000 and 15,000.

A spokesman for Co-operative Travel told the Sentinel: "I can confirm that we will not be renewing the lease on our Duke Street travel branch when it expires, and that the store will close on 19 November. Customer bookings are unaffected, and after the closure will be handled by our branch at 10 Strand Road. The contact number is 02871261514.

"We have entered in to a consultation period with all staff, and are hopeful that we will be able to re-deploy them in to other Co-operative Travel branches in the region."