Hays looks set to stay in town

An MSP has been given assurances over the future of Hays Travel in East Kilbride.

The firm – which took over former Thomas Cook shops in the town after the travel giant went bust – announced last month that more than 800 jobs are at risk across the country.

They blamed the ongoing uncertainty in the travel industry due to the Covid pandemic and changing quarantine rules for the downturn.

Hays said they had“made every possible effort”to protect the jobs of all the firm’s staff, “including those who were employed when Hays

Travel took on the Thomas Cook shops last October”.

Now the SNP’s Linda Fabiani has said that she has been given assurances by the firm over the future of the East Kilbride store.

Ms Fabiani told the News:“Last month I wrote to the Chief Executive of Hays Travel after it was announced that 878 jobs were to be cut across the UK as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“I sought assurances that Hays Travel would do everything in their power to protect as many jobs as possible.

“I was obviously concerned for the staff of East Kilbride’s recentlyopened branch and felt it beneficial too for customers to be updated of their plans.

“I am relieved that there are no plans to close shops and hope that this brings some comfort to employees in East Kilbride.”

In what has been a difficult time for the industry, owners John and Irene Hays previously said Spanish travel restrictions meant that hundreds of thousands of holidays were cancelled and it was“impossible to overstate the importance of Spain”to the business”.