Fred. Olsen Travel has taken over Saville Travel in Wimborne Minster, Dorset.
Saville Travel is the company’s 24th retail shop and joins 13 other shops across the south coast.
Fred. Olsen Travel has a further 10 shops in East Anglia.
The company started talks to buy Saville Travel, which has been established in Wimborne for 44 years, with owner Ron Stanley last year, who passed away in November before the process was finalised.
Over the following months, Fred. Olsen Travel said it supported Ron’s daughter Margareta through probate to ensure that the acquisition process was completed ‘as quickly and easily as possible for Ron’s family, employees and customers’.
The branch will continue to operate under the Saville Travel brand, but with Fred. Olsen Travel’s marketing support.
Both members of staff have transferred across with the business and taken on new roles. Mandy Legg, who has been with Saville Travel for 32 years, has been promoted to Branch Manager, while Charlotte Greening, who has been with Saville Travel for 26 years, has been promoted to Assistant Manager.
Fred. Olsen Travel Managing Director Julie Berry said: “We are delighted to welcome Saville Travel to the Fred. Olsen Travel family and to continue Ron’s legacy of delivering exceptional service and fantastic holidays to the Wimborne community.
“Saville Travel’s commitment to providing outstanding service and understanding the needs of their customers aligns with our own values at Fred. Olsen Travel and we would like reassure everyone that it is very much business as usual.”
Margareta added: “The key to maintaining my father’s legacy was protecting both our incredible staff and the high quality travel offering for our valued customers.
“In choosing to move forward with Fred. Olsen Travel, I feel that I am doing just that – providing the wider Wimborne community that my father cared so much about with the ability to access bespoke, high-quality travel.
“Fred. Olsen’s reputation keeps the business in safe and stable hands and I look forward to seeing Saville Travel under its new owners remain on the high street for decades to come.”
