Asked if he had approached any travel retail experts in the industry to seek advice about launching on the high street, Ballard said: “We don’t have anyone working with us on a consultancy basis, but I’m always interested in speaking to people.”
Ballard stressed Club Voyages’ homeworking division, which currently numbers 17 agents, will remain “a major focus” for the business. “We’re still looking to grow our homeworking division,” he explained.
“We’re not taking our eye off the ball with that. Our homeworkers are still a major focus – our homeworking division is something we’ve been successful with.”
Club Voyages’ new shop will also serve as a head office to supprt its homeworkers, Ballard added.
Earlier this month, Kelly Green – Club Voyages’ former head of retail – returned to Hays Travel after a five-month stint with Ballard’s burgeoning agency, which is a member of the Hays Travel Independence Group.
Ballard revealed that while he does not plan to fill Green’s previous role, he had lined up someone to take on the admin tasks she carried out. The successful applicant will work at the Clarendon Park branch when it opens, Ballard confirmed.
“She will start in June but is currently serving her notice at the moment,” explained Ballard. “She will join on a short-term basis.”
Ballard admitted that he could add more shops around the country in the future if he found “the right place”. “At the moment, I want to focus on one shop, but there is no reason why we won’t expand elsewhere,” he said.
