THE new leader of Barrhead Travel has revealed the firm has defied Brexit uncertainty to record the best trading week in its history, while signalling the company’s commitment to continue expanding its branch network in England.

In her first press interview since being unveiled as president of Barrhead Travel in December, Jacqueline Dobson highlighted the benefits brought to the company as a result of its acquisition by US-based Travel Leaders Group (TLG) on February 6 last year.

Ms Dobson, who succeeded former chief executive Sharon Munro at the helm before Christmas, said TLG has provided Barrhead with investment and “enhanced support” in areas such buying power, technology, and product range. It has given the company access to a greater number of flights and the opportunity to offer a broader range of destinations, notably in the US, the Far East and the Middle East.

“The integration is still ongoing, but from a commercial point of view we can definitely see the benefits [of] being part of that larger group,” said Ms Dobson, who joined Barrhead as a senior luxury sales consultant in 2000. “The accommodation they have, that we can buy into, really helps in terms of the product base for our customers.”

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The sale of Barrhead to TLG meant an immediate exit for company founder Bill Munro and then, less than one year later, his daughter Sharon, who had run the business since 2007.

Ms Dobson highlighted her excitement to be leading the company into its next chapter and revealed the year has already got off to a flying start – despite the continuing uncertainty around Brexit and the corrosive effect it is having on consumer confidence.

“The week commencing the seventh of January was the best week in the history of Barrhead Travel,” she said, noting the reord is based on turnover and passenger numbers. The growth has come from the increasing popularity of cruises, in part because of the value offered by all-inclusive deals, and long-haul flights. Ms Dobson said bookings to destinations such as Thailand have been boosted by airline sales offers and the impact on prices from increasingly fuel-efficient aircraft.

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And Ms Dobson said the company has seen no evidence of customers putting bookings on hold because of Brexit. “We have been keeping a close eye on it,” she said. “In the holiday market we are quite fortunate - it is generally the last thing that goes. Everybody really looks forward to their summer holiday.”

While there has been speculation that flights between the UK and nations in the European Union (EU) could be grounded in the event of a no-deal Brexit, Ms Dobson said the UK Government “has stated that flights will still fly, there will be no change whether there is a deal or a no-deal Brexit.”

She added: “People will still get their holidays. The best thing customers can do is book with a reputable travel agent. If they book (a package holiday) they are financially covered. If they book online, they are not always covered if they book their flight and accommodation separately.”

And Ms Dobson said the company, which employs 800 staff, remains committed to expanding its branch network. While 85 per cent of consumers start their holiday booking “journey” online, she declared that “customers are coming back to travel agents to get that all-round advice”. She added: “The way we train our consultants, they are experts in their field, whether it is the US they (consumers) are in to talk about or a cruise. They know the destination inside out.”

There are currently 76 Barrhead outlets across the UK, 35 of which are wholly-owned with the remainder run by franchise partners. The company will open its next destination store at the Fort Kinnaird retail park in Edinburgh next week but beyond that the focus will be south of the Border.

Barrhead currently has four outlets in England - in Cumbria, Leicester, Newcastle and Southampton - and has its sights on expanding into Manchester, Leeds and the south of England. Ms Dobson said: “We will continue to open stores. I also want to enhance our online offering to give the customer a better user experience.”