Hays Travel shop closures "sad but inevitable" says TSSA

Responding to news that Hays Travel is closing 89 shops, travel trade union TSSA says it's "a sad but inevitable move" and accuses the government of recklessness.

It is unclear how many of the 388 jobs at risk will be able to transfer to home working or other alternative roles.

Manuel Cortes, TSSA General Secretary, said: “Today’s announcement of 89 Hays Travel shop closures is a sad but inevitable move. With coronavirus rampant and the usual January booking of summer holidays absent, the travel trade continues to suffer.

“The Coronavirus has fundamentally changed our way of life and our ability to travel, but the government has been reckless in its failure to act. We should have had border restrictions and effective test, track and trace implemented last spring when the virus levels could have been controlled.

“We are witnessing the death of our loved ones, the death of the high street, and chronic mismanagement of our economy by this Conservative government. Lives and livelihoods are being lost every day while Tory cronies line their pockets with government contracts. The government must be held responsible for this shameful record.”