From apprentice to regional manager: the curtain falls on a distinguished career
Handwritten air tickets, customers smoking and the first Prestel computer – some of the classic memories Beryl Towne shares with us as she retires after 47 years with Althams Travel
Beryl Towne is enjoying some well-deserved relaxation when TTG catches up with her, having retired from the industry in April after 47 years’ service with Althams Travel. True to form, she’s in Spain’s Costa Calida – her passion for travel still burning brightly.
Beryl says she fell into the industry almost by accident. “I had to fill a year in my police cadet training, so I went to Bournemouth College aged 16 – all the way from Blackburn. It was the only place in the country offering a one-year travel and tourism diploma,” she explains.
After a trip to New York, she was hooked and joined Althams in 1977 as an apprentice in the Accrington branch, progressing to branch manager in 1983. In 1998, she became regional manager. Beryl cites her promotion to branch manager as one of her biggest career successes, and she ended up looking after the busy Blackburn branch.
“Back then we had to write out all the airline tickets by hand. I remember there was one really expensive ticket that someone spilt a cup of tea over, and we had to dry it out on the radiator and put it all back together,” she recalls.
Beryl remembers the shop when it had a high counter with bar stools. “On a Saturday we would open to a queue of customers. They would be grateful if you got around to serving them and really valued your knowledge. Clients and staff would sit with cigarettes and cups of tea, and everything was done over the phone.”
The advent of technology brought about a huge change with Prestel – the first small computer in agencies. “Thomson was the first to offer the service. We thought it was brilliant as we could do it ourselves instead of having to talk to someone,” Beryl remembers.
She explains how the entire booking process was very different to today. “You used to have to know absolutely everything. Which airline operated to which destination and on which days. For example, Alicante was always Tuesday and Saturday. Operators would go on sale at 3am and I’d be there in the shop making bookings. The biggest operator we used was Intasun, which became International Leisure Group. When they went under it was a huge disaster for the industry.”
A WORLD OF OPPORTUNITY
Like most in travel, Beryl was enthralled by the opportunities her job presented. “Within 18 months of joining Althams, I took a trip that I put together myself. I travelled from Manchester to London, then to Los Angeles, Las Vegas, San Francisco and Hawaii. The airline ticket was £125 and the dollar was 1.46 to the pound,” she enthuses.
She applied for British Airways Breakaways that took her on weekends to New York, Dallas, Washington and Toronto as well as other trips to Vancouver and Calgary, exploring the Rockies. A love of America also saw Beryl taking her children to the Florida theme parks, which they all still remember with great fondness.
As well as her own extensive travels, Beryl reminisces about the most impressive booking she took. “It was two elderly sisters in the 1980s who booked a holiday at £27,000 a piece [equivalent to around £140,000 today] to fly on Concorde, chartered by Goodwood Travel, and stopping in key locations such as Sydney and India for the Taj Mahal. They carried on booking with me for years,” she says.
With such a successful tenure under her belt, Beryl’s advice for younger agents in the industry today is to have a real passion for travel. “You have to enthuse – customers like to see that in you. You can’t be an order taker,” she insists.
While Beryl and her passion for the industry will be sorely missed, her legacy will remain strong among colleagues, suppliers and friends and, if her current status is anything to go by, it seems she intends to keep her love of travel blooming throughout her retirement.
Sandra McAllister, Althams Travel managing director, says: “Beryl’s commitment to Althams ran deep. Beyond her role as regional manager, she undertook numerous responsibilities, notably serving as an ambassador for Tipto, a role she cherished and excelled in, fostering numerous professional connections. Beryl also represented Althams in the Advantage Travel Partnership, ensuring the directors were kept abreast of crucial industry developments and news.
“Beryl's departure will undoubtedly leave a void, given the numerous friendships and professional relationships she has cultivated over the years. She will be greatly missed. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Beryl for her unwavering commitment and exemplary service to Althams and wish her a joyous and fulfilling retirement.”
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