in the Sunday Times Top 100
the prospect of doing just that.
“We did a press call, live at
companies to work for the past four
He has seen in the Thomas Cook
10.30am but by then we were taking
years.
staff the same qualities that, in
enquiries from all over the world.
The Christmas parties and the
2018, helped workers at Hays make
“The Washington Post rang, (that’s
annual conference held abroad
the company a billion-pound sales
Washington DC, not Tyne and
for Hays Travel staff are the stuff
concern.
Wear!), the New York Times and so
of travel industry legend and the
That’s some journey from the first
on, names and organisations like
most recent one, held in Turkey,
Hays Travel shop, which opened in
that, so it was surreal really, just
his hometown, Seaham, in 1980 with was trebled at the last minute to
mad.
800 more places to take in the new
sales of £800 in its first year.
“I’ve done more media interviews
arrivals from Thomas Cook.
A year later, he opened a second
in the past few months than I’ve
“We had to hire three extra Jet2
shop, in Sunderland. “That’s when
done in all the years preceding.
planes, on top of the one already
I first knew we would be OK as a
“I think there are so many bad
booked,” says John.
company,” he says. “It was pre-
news stories out there and the
“Customer service is absolutely
internet and everyone was doing
government had taken such a hit
central to us. It’s what we have to be
well.”
with the protests outside Parliament
all about.”
Since then, Hays Travel has
from Thomas Cook and all the travel
It’s maintaining those standards
diversified.
stories that I think they just wanted
and growing the business
a good news story about jobs
that puts a spring in his step
being saved.
in his 70th year.
“I think that’s what’s
“Sunderland people are
It’s certainly not the
captured everyone’s
just great - their work ethic, money
- something he might
imagination.”
sense of fun, not taking
have had more than his fair
At a stroke, Hays Travel,
share of earlier in life before
which operated just under
themselves too seriously.
turning his back on a career
200 travel shops around
They’re brilliant and they’re in the city of London.
the country, had acquired a
“I was only there a few
further 555 and, amid the
what we’re all about.”
weeks,” he says. “I didn’t
media frenzy (including the
really like the fact it was only
pair’s appearances on Good
about the money and jumping from
“Strategically, I didn’t want just
Morning Britain and The One Show),
one deal to the next.
one leg on the stool,” says John.
there was the hard work of making
“I come to work these days
“We do a lot of the back-office
the move work.
because I enjoy it and, let’s face it,
functions for a couple of hundred
Such an enormously bold
travel agents around the country. We travel is a lovely business to be in.
acquisition brought challenges - not
“I’m obviously not skint - there’s
moved into the Foreign Exchange.
least, the sheer logistics involved in
nothing we’re in want of - but once
re-opening and staffing all the shops, We started our own tour operation
you’ve got enough money, it’s about
around eight years ago, which is
a situation which recently led to an
what you enjoy, and, I know it
doing really well.”
appeal for 1,500 new workers - 200
sounds corny, but I enjoy coming to
At the heart of it all, though,
of them in Sunderland.
work.”
remains people and it was typical
“I think we’ve done really well in a
There’s no typical working week
of the way Hays operates under
short space of time,” says John.
for John but normally it involves
Of the 555 shops, well over 450 are John and Irene that they made sure
time in Sunderland where the
they recorded a short video to play
open again and of the 2,500 people
company will continue to be based.
to all staff a few minutes before
who lost their jobs, more than 2,300
“It’s massive for us to stay in
the Thomas Cook takeover was
are now back behind their desks.
Sunderland,” he insists.
announced.
But running a profitable outfit
“I was born here, it’s my home city
“We couldn’t have them finding
remains the key objective of Hays.
and it’s a great place to do business
out from the BBC!”
“We are not a charity and we were
as well.
Of all the achievements the
quite embarrassed by this ‘heroes of
“Sunderland people are just great
company has garnered over the
the High Street’ tag we were given at
- their work ethic, sense of fun, not
years, the ones associated with the
the time,” he says.
taking themselves too seriously.
quality of working there are the ones
“In terms of the business, we need
They’re brilliant and they’re what
that John and Irene have prized the
to deliver for ourselves and for the
we’re all about.”
most.
company.”
Hays Travel has been ranked
John is bullishly optimistic about