Less than a year ago, Ashdown was a single-branch agency in Surrey's Oxted. However, last July, it took on two former Baldwins Travel teams in neighbouring Kent under ex-Baldwins marketing and commercial manager Tricia Lester.

And last week, the Ashdown made a splash in Cheshire after the group's Eden Luxury Travel operation in Knutsford – some 200 miles away from Ashdown's three other shops – was rebranded as Ashdown Travel.

The team were joined by clients and the mayor for the occasion last Wednesday (21 January), as well as representatives from Abercrombie & Kent, APT, Grecotel, Intrepid Travel and If Only.

Retail lead Tricia Lester described the opening as an “amazing” success. “It was just a fabulous day,” she said. “The champagne was flowing, believe me.”

Lester has been responsible for integrating ten members of ex-Baldwins staff after the 130-year-old agency collapsed last year, bringing Ashdown's total staff to 17 across its sites in Oxted, Sevenoaks and Tunbridge Wells.

(Credit: Tricia Lester)

Lester told TTG the transition had been "quite seamless". “It’s just a case of giving them a new home to do what they do best,” she added.

The decision to rebrand the Knutsford store, Lester explained, came from the need to distinguish between Ashdown's retail and homeworking operations.

"The owners opened Eden in Knutsford some time ago, but they’ve looked again at the site and decided all the retail outlets should be under the Ashdown brand,” she said. "The homeworkers will still operate and sell under Eden, though.”

The Knutsford branch has undergone a full refurbishment to align it with Ashdown’s southern sites, complete with bespoke brochure racks and a “high-end finish”.

(Credit: Tricia Lester)

“Everyone was really impressed with the space, which is decorated beautifully,” Lester said. “It’s so warm and friendly, and we’re very proud of it.”

With the rebrand, Ashdown Travel hopes to provide Knutsford's affluent clientele a wider selection of offerings. “Eden clients will still come into the branch, because they’re familiar with it, but they’ll now have all the Ashdown offerings, too,” Lester explained. “Which means they won’t end up going elsewhere for, say, a city break.”

She added that the broader proposition could also attract new customers who “might not be able to afford” an Eden holiday. While the client base is expected to grow “immensely” across all demographics, Lester confirmed that luxury remained a key focus. “Luxury is still what the majority of our client base wants," she said.

(Credit: Tricia Lester)

Lester told TTG all four sites are currently trading on target, with “really great” performance for peaks so far. Now, the priority is raising Ashdown’s profile and “showcasing its offerings”, which will be done through local advertisement and in-store and local events.

“We’re part of Advantage Travel Partnership, so we have lots of operators and suppliers,” Lester said. “Though it was originally an Eden store, we want everyone to know that we are diversifying.”

Lester added Ashdown Travel has definite, if not concrete, plans for expansion. “We are not stopping here. I can’t say any more than that,” she said.