Viva Lewes Issue 117 June 2016

TRADE SECRETS
Photo by Emma Chaplin
Nick Marks
Joint Managing Director, Baldwins Travel Agency
Tell me about yourself. In 1991, my father (now
chairman) Ron bought Baldwins Travel Agency.
We’re a family business. I’ve been working for the
company for 20 years, my mother is a director and
my brother is joint Managing Director. We’ve won
national awards and been Travel Agency of the Year
for the South-East area for the last nine years and
we’re proud of that.
Lewes Travel on Station Street is now part of
your ‘group’? Richard Powell, the owner of Lewes
Travel, wanted to retire, so we suggested we took
over. We’d like to make his clients as happy as
he did. Lewes had always been on the radar as a
great place for us to expand (Baldwins have eight
branches across the South East).
Will you keep the name? For now. We’d always
want to include something about the locality in the
name though.
What are your plans? We’re going to be redecorating,
getting new furniture and bringing it up-todate.
We’re also creating a new Foreign Exchange
Bureau. We’re the largest local foreign exchange
retailer after Gatwick and our rates are excellent.
Will people be able to use your bureau even if
they didn’t book their holiday through you? Yes,
of course.
What makes you special? We have experience
and knowledge of the locations of the holidays we
offer. Our staff go away for five days a year to visit
places they’ve never been, to find out more about
them. And we listen to our customers. The point of
what we do is to find the right holiday in the right
location for every person who comes to see us.
Isn’t it cheaper to book on the internet? Our
prices are very competitive because we’re part of a
large buying group. Plus we offer support, back-up
and guarantees. There was a huge resurgence in the
use of travel agencies after the Iceland ash cloud crisis.
I got in a minibus and drove to Paris to collect
some of our business clients. We worked through
the night to get our clients home.
Who are your clients? Anyone. We organise trips
for schools, school leavers and retired families. UK
holiday parks to six star cruises.
What do you think of Trip Advisor? I’m not
afraid of it, but remember, 90% of people who post
on it are complaining.
How has the company changed over the years?
Baldwin’s turnover was £3 million a year in 1991,
now it’s £30 million. Our business travel arm has
been very successful.
What locations are popular at the moment?
Egypt has been hit hard, ditto Turkey. Greece is
doing well, and Spain and Portugal, hugely well.
Everyone wants to go to Cuba before it changes.
What’s your favourite holiday? Skiing in the Val
d’Isère.
Top tip for travellers? Always check your passport
expiry date before you book anything. And get
insurance. Only 18% of travellers do.
Emma Chaplin
1 Station St, 01273 472466 baldwinstravel.co.uk
93