The two-branch agency turned heads a year ago when it announced plans to open a shop in the Yorkshire town of Horbury, around 200 miles north of Epping.
However, TTG can exclusively reveal the agency has signed a tenancy agreement for high street premises in Hertford's Maidenhead Street, with a view to opening its third shop in May.
Speaking to TTG, the agency’s managing director Ian Gilder said: “Hertford has similar demographic to Epping, a similar market town feel, lots of coffee shops. Hertford is larger than Epping too, about three times the size, so we’ll potentially get more footfall.”
Asked how Adore will staff a third shop, Gilder confirmed his team would need to expand. “We’re looking for two apprentices," he said. "One for Epping and one for Hertford. We’re also looking for a senior sales consultant who can jump between the two branches."
He added: “We give our two apprentices as much [responsibility] as we possibly can. We actively encourage them to get out and about. It’s probably not as attractive to some agencies as it once was to hire apprentices, but we love it.
“We’re bringing people into travel. Once the Hertford shop is open and we’ve recruited, we’ll have five apprentices and four full-time staff.”
If it ain't broke...
Gilder has set aside £10,000 to transform the new Hertford premises, previously a Santander bank branch, into a travel agency. “The landlord bought the whole building and the offices above are going to be turned into flats,” he said.
“We’ve got 1,100sq/ft to use downstairs. The landlord is doing all the flooring and the ceilings, we just have to turn it into a travel agency.
"There are 35,000 people in Hertford and not one travel agency. We’re going to be a Jet2 booking centre, but we’re still an independent agency. The new shop will focus on long-haul and cruise just like the other two shops. If something works, why change it?”
Gilder revealed attention would soon turn to finding a fourth premises near Epping or Hertford, with a view to opening another branch "in the next 18 months".
“Now, it’s all about getting the third one up and running, and then we’ll go for a fourth,” he said.
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