Midcounties’ Co-operative Travel takes over majority of Carrick Travel branches

Published by

Nicky Godding

Midcounties Co-operative, one of the UK’s largest independent consumer co-operatives, is taking over seven branches of the independent Kenilworth-based travel agency, Carrick Travel to trade as the society’s retail travel division, Co-operative Travel.

The remaining four Carrick Travel branches not included in the transfer agreement closed their doors at the end of September 2020.

The move takes the society’s portfolio of Co-operative Travel shops across England to 78.

The seven branches that have transferred to Co-operative Travel are in Kenilworth, Stratford-upon-Avon, Leamington Spa, Cheylesmore (West Midlands), Pershore, Grantham and Newark. The shops will continue to trade as Carrick Travel but will be part of the Co-operative Travel family.

Eight-time winner of Travel Weekly’s “Agent Achievement Award for Central England - Small Agency”, Carrick Travel’s shops supported 10,000 customers with their travel arrangements over the last 12 months.

Tina Nason and Tracey Carter, owners of Carrick Travel, will not be joining those staff transferring to Co-operative Travel.

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 The 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."

Rad Sofronijevic, Chief Operating Officer of Co-operative Travel, 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 was established in 1974 by Sally and Michael Carrick - both adventurous and prolific travellers who had previously enjoyed executive careers within the travel industry. Although they are no longer involved they set in place the foundations for today’s business. In early 2012 Tina Nason and Tracey Carter took over the ownership of Carrick Travel.

Nicky Godding

Nicky Godding is editor of The Business Magazine. Before her journalism career, she worked mainly in public relations moving into writing when she was invited to launch Retail Watch, a publication covering retail and real estate across Europe. After some years of constant travelling, she tucked away her passport and concentrated on business writing, co-founding a successful regional business magazine. She has interviewed some of the UK’s most successful entrepreneurs who have built multi-million-pound businesses and reported on many science and technology firsts. She reports on the region’s thriving business economy from start-ups, family businesses and multi-million-pound corporations, to the professionals that support their growth and the institutions that educate the next generation of business leaders.