News

Polka Dot Travel to open four more branches

Polka Dot Travel is to open four more branches and has plans to double the size of its current network by the end of next year.

The 14-shop miniple is to open agencies in Cannock, Lichfield and Leek in Staffordshire and Mold in North Wales by July.

That will take its retail estate to 18 shops, and there are plans for two more, most likely in the Midlands, this year as it puts in place a new management team to free up its three directors to drive growth.

Operations director Mark Johnson said Polka Dot is now targeting 30 shops by the end of 2020, with openings likely to come in clusters.

The agency currently employs nearly 70 staff and anticipates this would top 100 with 30 shops.

Polka Dot, which launched seven years ago, is currently recruiting a regional sales manager to look after its growing shop network and is to recruit a marketing manager, HR manager and social media manager.

That team will report in to Johnson and joint managing directors Helen Johnson and Philippa Wilcox.

Johnson said: “We are looking at adding 10 shops next year. We will be looking for organic growth and acquisitions as well.

“We see real opportunity for the brand and want to develop it.

“Bringing in the new management team will free up Helen, Philippa and me to really focus on that strategy.”

Meanwhile, Polka Dot Travel is forecasting turnover from its existing shops to hit £50 million in the year to October 31 this year – up from £32 million the previous year.

Share article

View Comments

Jacobs Media is honoured to be the recipient of the 2020 Queen's Award for Enterprise.

The highest official awards for UK businesses since being established by royal warrant in 1965. Read more.