Hays Travel opens 402 former Thomas Cook shops

The travel agent, which bought all 555 former Cook shops for just more than £6 million, has also employed more than 2,000 former Cook staff.

This includes 12 regional sales managers, bolstering that team up to 21.

Hays is also looking to recruit another regional sales manager for Manchester.

"We’re re-opening Thomas Cook branches at such a fast rate and I’ve been so proud of the teams at head office as they’ve pulled together and knuckled down to make this happen," Jane Schumm, retail and training director at Hays, said.

"The sense of togetherness and excitement to get all the new staff members back in their shops and part of the family has been really heart-warming.

"For us to have more than 400 of the 555 shops open within three weeks is a real success.”

This comes following an announcement that former Cook branches generated £1 million for Jet2 in their first few days of operation.