Jetz Travel welcomes Coronation Street star to mark five years

Jetz Travel celebrated its fifth birthday at the weekend with visits from a Coronation Street star, professional rugby players and hundreds of loyal customers.

The agency in Leigh, Greater Manchester, was set up by Donna Brooks and her husband Nick on April 13, 2019. The couple marked five years in business on Saturday by welcoming customers, suppliers and special guests to the store in Spinning Gate Shopping Centre for a series of activities.

“The shop was buzzing from the get-go,” said Brooks, adding that the agency managed to notch a “mammoth” tally of bookings amid the celebrations.

Customers enjoyed coffee and cake in the morning, followed by pizza and prosecco in the afternoon and a raffle. Coronation Street fans were delighted to have their picture taken with Samia Longchambon, who plays Maria Connor.

“Samia was so down to earth and absolutely engaging with the customers,” said Brooks. “Nothing fazed her at all.”

John Asiata, captain of Super League side Leigh Leopards, visited the shop alongside former Love Island contestant Keanan Brand, who is currently on loan from the Leopards to Bradford Bulls. Cheerleaders and club mascot ‘Leeto’ joined the festivities.

Raffle winners were given vouchers offering a discount of up to £500 on a booking made in store.

“The whole day ran like clockwork,” said Brooks, who estimated that 300-400 people attended over the course of the event.

Brooks and her husband Nick met in 1999 when working in Florida for Airtours. The couple started their agency to focus on tailor-made trips, but customer demand quickly led to them selling a wide range of holidays.

Alongside Brooks, there are six full-time agents and one who works part-time. Nick, who is self-employed, handles the accounts and payroll.

After originally opening in a single unit within the shopping centre, the business soon outgrew the premises and extended into the neighbouring unit.

Among the visitors on Saturday was Jet2 chief executive Steve Heapy.

“We were so busy there was nowhere for Steve to stand,” said Brooks, who added it was a welcome bonus that the agency managed to take so many bookings on Saturday in between the festivities.

“We weren’t expecting a mammoth bookings day, but we doubled bookings compared with the previous Saturday,” she said.