CLOSING TIME
Tui to close 166 high street shops as travel industry suffers due to coronavirus
TUI is set to close 166 high street stores in the UK and the Republic of Ireland, the tour operator has announced.
It comes as the UK's high streets and travel industry have been hit hard by the coronavirus crisis as fewer Brits go on holiday.
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Around 350 shops will remain open.
The decision to axe stores was made due to changes in customer behaviour with 70 per cent of Tui's holiday bookings taking place online, rather than in store.
Tui adds that covid-19 has only accelerated this change in purchasing habits, with people looking to buy online or wishing to speak with travel experts from the comfort of their own home.
It told The Sun the move impacts 900 jobs, although it hopes to keep up to 630 of them (70 per cent) in a mix of new sales and service homeworking roles and vacancies in remaining stores.
High street closures in 2020
HERE'S a round-up of some of the big names on the high street that have gone under this year:
- Department store chain Beales went into administration in January with 23 shops and 1,052 jobs at risk
- High end fashion brand Ted Baker said it plans to axe 160 jobs in February
- Brighthouse and Carluccio’s went into administration at the end of March
- Mobile phone retailer Carphone Warehouse said in March that it'll close all 531 standalone stores in April
- Debenhams entered administration for the second time in 12 months in April, and has since announced a number of store closures
- Struggling shoe shop Office put itself up for sale in April 2020
- Oasis and Warehouse closed down in April 2020 with the loss of 1,800 jobs
- Cath Kidston closed all 60 shops in April 2020 with the loss of 900 jobs
- said in May 2020 that it would have to lose 900 roles as high street closures loom
- Shoe chain Aldo collapsed into administration in June 2020 with five stores permanently closed
- Victoria's Secrets plunged into administration in June 2020, putting 800 jobs at risk
- Fashion chain Quiz put its shop business into administration in June 2020, putting 82 stores at risk
Tui said it won't release the list of stores at risk during the consultation period, but added that any store that is currently open isn't impacted.
It couldn't confirm when the impacted stores will permanently shut.
Last month, travel bosses warned that quarantine measures will "kill" the industry with thousands of jobs lost.
It came after Tui had already announced plans to cut up to 8,000 roles worldwide.
The firm has also been forced to cut staff working hours and pay between 30 per cent and 50 per cent amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Tui's rivals have also struggled due to the crisis, with easyJet, British Airways and Ryanair also cutting thousands of jobs.
While plane manufacturer Airbus is axing 1,700 jobs at its two UK factories.
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Andrew Flintham, Tui's UK and Ireland managing director, said: "We want to be in the best position to provide excellent customer service, whether it's in a high street store, over the telephone or online, and will continue to put the customer at the heart of what we do.
"It is therefore imperative that we make these difficult cost decisions, look after our colleagues during such unprecedented uncertainty and also offer a modern customer service."
He added: "We have world-class travel advisers at Tui, so we hope many of them will become homeworkers and continue to offer the personalised service we know our customers value."
TUI will cover all medical tests and flights for Brits who catch coronavirus on holiday
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