Welwyn-based Off Broadway Travel has already taken on three Baldwins agents, and hopes to recruit more in the coming days while another agency in Sussex expects to hire one this week and more soon after.
Companies House issued a notification last Friday (16 May), confirming "a receiver or manager" had been appointed in relation to Baldwins Travel. Receivers are called in to manage and potentially liquidate assets of a business if it has to satisfy debts owed to a creditor.
It came after a particularly challenging period for Baldwins, during which it was expelled from Abta, left the Advantage Travel Partnership and had its Iata accreditation suspended.
Off Broadway Travel owner Tricia Conroy-Smith revealed on Friday she had already hired three members of Baldwins staff.
In a LinkedIn post, Conroy-Smith said: "Our thoughts go out to all of our friends in the industry that will no doubt be in utter shock from this announcement.
"If any members of staff would like to investigate a flexible working arrangement with Off Broadway Travel please get in touch privately for a no-obligation conversation (we also have retirement options as well)."
She added: "We already have three ex-Baldwins members of staff that have joined the team and we would be thrilled to welcome more."
Conroy-Smith on Monday (19 May) told TTG: "Baldwins are a good bunch. They’re just lovely people. I’m sure they will all be picked up by agencies.
"When I was 12, my dad lost his business, so I really feel for all the Baldwins staff and [managing director] Nick Marks as well. As much as we’re all competitors, we’re also great friends."
Conroy-Smith explained Baldwins joining Off Broadway Travel could start as homeworkers and visit the agency’s homeworking hub in Tenterden, Kent. "There’s no ceiling in terms of how many Baldwins staff we can recruit," she added. "We’ve got a concierge team of four who can support them."
Earlier this year, Off Broadway Travel acquired south London agency Travel Designers and promptly appealed to other retiring agency owners to look to the multi-time TTG Top 50 agency as a home for their businesses.
Another agency with shops across Sussex, where Baldwins has three branches, is poised to recruit one "senior member" of staff from the 130-year-old agency this week and "potentially" two others soon after.
The agency’s boss, who did not wish to be named, said: "We’ve been approached by four Baldwins staff, but one of them has now joined a tour operator."
The source said the expertise and knowledge of Baldwins staff had encouraged him to discuss employment options with them. "We already have two Baldwins staff who joined in 2021," he said, adding: "They’ve basically all kept in touch with each other."
They added the business was even considering acquiring two Baldwins branches to expand its retail estate. "We’ve got our eye on two Baldwins shops – they could be our fourth and fifth branches," he explained.
TTG tried to contact Baldwins Travel for further comment.
