Thomas Cook to close 21 stores across UK
The travel operator says it needs to address changing customer behaviour as more people book holidays online.
Friday 22 March 2019 10:35, UK
Travel operator Thomas Cook has announced plans to close 21 high street stores, resulting in 320 job losses.
The company said the closures were part of plans to "streamline" its UK retail network under an efficiency programme.
The travel giant added that it needed to address changing customer behaviour.
Thomas Cook pointed to the fact that holidaymakers are switching online, with 64% of all its bookings in the UK being made on the web last year.
Closures will result in Thomas Cook's retail estate reducing to 566 shops, with the jobs to be lost including 102 customer-facing roles and a further 218 store-based roles removed as part of the review.
A consultation process with the affected staff and unions has begun.
Will Waggott, Thomas Cook's chief of tour operating, said: "Today's announcement reflects the wider challenges seen on the high street, with more and more customers choosing to book online.
"These measures will help us to drive greater efficiencies across Thomas Cook so that we relentlessly focus our resources in those areas that give us the greatest opportunity to make a difference to customers in our core holiday offering.
"Looking ahead, we will be working to ensure that Thomas Cook is fit for the future, putting a rigorous focus on costs in a competitive environment while giving customers more reasons to holiday with the strongest brand in travel."
Thomas Cook said last month it was exploring options to sell its airline business amid growing concerns over the company's future.
The firm's shares were hammered at the end of last year following its third profit warning of 2018 and stinging full-year losses.
Thomas Cook has been hit by charges related to flight disruptions, writedowns on money owed by hotels and transformation costs.
It was also affected by delayed demand for its tour holidays due to the summer heatwave.
The Thomas Cook stores listed for closure:
Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne
Sandwell Centre in West Bromwich, West Midlands
Llandudno, North Wales
Sainsbury's in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear
North Shields, Tyne and Wear
Peterlee, County Durham
Accrington, Lancashire
23 St Marys Place in Market Harborough, Leicestershire
Haymarket in Bury, Lancashire
Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire
Union Street, Aberdeen
Chesham, Buckinghamshire
Launceston, Cornwall
Stevenage, Hertfordshire
Shipley, West Yorkshire
Cumbernauld, North Lanarkshire
Guildford, Surrey
52 Unicorn Way in Glenrothes, Fife
Colchester High St, Essex
Kingston upon Thames, Surrey
Cowgate in Kirkintilloch, Glasgow