Go Travel, Blackheath

Launched in 2008 as part of a network of four, the spacious agency underwent an extensive refurbishment in time for the busy January holiday booking period in 2018, with customers saying the chic yellow-with-grey detailing makes them feel as though they are “walking into sunshine”.

Manager Kevin Whitbread’s calming air reflects the store’s atmosphere, too.

Go Travel keeps children busy by offering colouring packs – which match the wallpaper – while red wine and a coffee machine are available at the back for the grown-ups. There is also a huge magnetic wall map, which Go Travel asks customers to help fill with souvenirs from their travels.

The experienced team takes training seriously, ideally attending two educational trips abroad each per year and posting a blog detailing their adventures on their return.

Go Travel wants to expand the destination knowledge of its loyal customer base too, with a cruise evening and touring event each attracting 150 attendees last year. And 2019 will see the Go Travel Holiday Show held for a wider audience, special evenings with specific travel suppliers and the Great Pumpkin Hunt on Blackheath.

Other useful resources for clients include travel arrangements as gifts for VIP customers’ friends and family, and a honeymoon
fund scheme. Where they can, the team will try to sprinkle a bit of magic, with a jug of cocktail organised for one Bloody Mary fan staying at the St Regis Hotel in Singapore after they had taken an interest in where the drink had originated – at the St Regis in New York! There is a 24/7 contact number available for customers, too.

Go Travel in Blackheath cares for the community it serves. While it is situated in an affluent area with a relatively low crime rate, being in London, violent incidents do occur in some boroughs.

As such, the agency, along with some other retail outlets in the street, has signed up to the “Safe Haven for Jimmy” scheme, which entails placing a “safe place” sticker in its window to let children know they can ask the shop to take them in and look after them if they find themselves in a difficult or threatening situation.