Hays has bought the entire retail portfolio of 555 former Thomas Cook shops after it signed a deal with the Official Receiver and Special Managers from KPMG. In addition, more than 100 new jobs will be created at the company’s headquarters.
The Sunderland-based company, which already has 190 shops, plans to open “all the shops with immediate effect where possible”.
John Hays said: “It is a game-changer for us, almost trebling the number of shops we have and doubling our workforce – and for the industry, which will get to keep some of its most talented people. Our staff were devastated to hear about Thomas Cook and we all immediately felt we wanted to help.”
Hays said it hoped “to take on as many of the 2,500 former Thomas Cook retail employees as possible in the coming weeks”, doubling its workforce.
