Central England Co-operative Travel invests in new Allenton branch to breathe new life into shopping area

Posted by james brindle | Published: 13/01/2020


Central England Co-operative Travel has launched a brand new store which has helped breathe new life into a major shopping area in Allenton.

The Society has made a £20,000 investment to transform the formerly empty unit in Osmaston Road and help boost the retail offer in the area.

The opening gives the local community access to a team of trusted, experienced travel experts to help with all their holiday needs and for branch manager Lorraine Jefferies the launch at Osmaston Road is somewhat of a homecoming.

Lorraine has worked for Co-operative Travel for the best part of 25 years, working in the industry for well over 30 years, and previously managed the Osmaston Road branch when it was under the guise of Midlands Co-operative Travel.

Lorraine said: “When I heard I would be returning to the same shop I used to manage in Allenton my first words were ‘I’m going home’. It feels quite surreal as I have lots of great memories of my time there and I can’t wait to get started.”

Lorraine leads a small but dedicated team who offer a friendly face but also a real passion for providing customers with a tailored, personal service to ensure they have holidays to remember.

Lorraine said: “I absolutely love working in travel. It is an ever-changing and challenging industry to work in but I love every minute and have never wanted to do anything else.

“What I think makes us stand out is that we are independent and the customers needs are truly at the forefront of what we do – they always come first for us.

“We really get to know our customers and build relationships, so we can ensure we tailor their experience to meet their specific needs.”

As well as Lorraine, the team is made up of Assistant Manager Natasha Hicklin, who has been part of the team for four years and part-time Sales Consultant Emma Bell, who has racked up 26 years working in the industry.

The opening of the Allenton store has seen the team relocate from their previous home in London Road, Alvaston and Lorraine said she hopes to see customers both old and new following the move.

She said: “A lot of our regulars have said they will follow us to the new store which is lovely as it shows the relationships that we have built up and the trust they have in our expertise and the service we provide.

“We also can’t wait to welcome new customers and are delighted to be part of a fantastic community in Allenton so please come in and see us and find out about the great holidays and trips we can offer.”

The new Co-operative Travel branch in Allenton is open from 9am – 5.30pm Monday to Saturday and is located at 806 Osmaston Road, Allenton, DE24 9AA.

Find out more about the very latest travel offers by calling the new store on 01332 752296 or visiting https://www.centralengland.coop/travel/offers

 

Notes to editors

About Central England Co-operative

Central England Co-operative is one of the largest independent retail co-operative societies in the UK.

It is a modern, forward-looking organisation employing over 8,000 staff, with the Society’s principal areas of activity being food, funeral services, travel shops, and property investment.

Central England Co-operative has over 400 trading outlets across 16 counties including; West Midlands, Warwickshire, Worcestershire, Staffordshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Rutland, Nottinghamshire, Northamptonshire, Lincolnshire, West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, Suffolk, Norfolk, Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire.  The Society has an ambitious food store development programme for 2019.

Central England Co-operative is proud of its reputation for ethical business practices and corporate responsibility.  It is a member of Business in the Community, the membership organisation that stands for responsible business, and has also won many business awards for excellence.  The Society supports a number of charities including Dementia UK and invests a percentage of its trading profit into local communities.

Becoming a member of Central England Co-operative offers a whole host of benefits ranging from collecting points every time you spend in store to earn a share of the profits, access to members activities and community initiatives including the Community Dividend Fund, which hands out grants of up to £5,000 to charities and good causes across the Society’s trading estate.

Find out how to become a Central England Co-operative member by calling 0800 0501 601, emailing members@centralengland.coop or visiting https://www.members.coop

For more information visit www.centralengland.coop, follow Central England Co-operative on Twitter: @mycoopfood, and on Facebook: facebook.com/centralenglandcooperative

Rob Smyth and James Brindle at Central England Co-operative on 01543 421390

Email – publicrelations@centralengland.coop