Thieves smashed the front window of The Departure Hub in Oswaldtwistle before climbing into the shop. Desks were broken into and items were left strewn across the floor in an unsuccessful search for cash and valuables.
The Lancashire agency is run by TTG 30 Under 30 alumnus Caitlan Grime, and has quickly become an important pillar of the local community, with Grime picking up the Tui Community Hero Award at Top 50 Travel Agencies by TTG 2024.
The shop was forced to close on Monday (27 January), but reopened a day later in defiant spirits. “We don’t stay down for long, that’s for sure," the agency wrote on Facebook.
"New window fitted, shop cleaned up and ready to open again tomorrow. [It’s] a setback as it’s happened at our busiest time of year, but one we will definitely bounce back from with the support of our amazing customers.
The agency detailed the damage in a series of pictures posted to Facebook, which show the intruders efforts to root through the store. “Luckily, we keep no cash or expensive items in the shop overnight, so they haven’t got away with anything of value."
Grime joined Althams Travel as an apprentice aged 16 and set up The Departure Hub in 2022 aged 23. She was a member of the TTG 30 Under 30 Class of 2024.
The Departure Hub said they suspected the incident took place at around 12.45am on Monday, which saw three males drive to the shop in a white Transit van and one of them break in.
TTG has approached The Departure Hub and Lancashire Police for comment. A police statement provided to local media confirmed the details of the break in at the shop in Union Street.
