Thomas Cook

thomas-cook-rebranding

Facts and figures

  • Refurbishments value was between £2k and £3m
  • Single point of contact for client
  • Built on long-standing relationship

Interserve worked with Thomas Cook over a period of three years to refurbish and rebrand 501 of their stores, taking the branches from the original ‘red’ branding through to ‘blue’ and has also been involved in a number of projects including fitting-out of Thomas Cook foreign exchange bureaux at Heathrow airport’s Terminal 5 (T5).

Rebranding of 501 stores over three years

Detailed site surveys, in advance of the works commencing, allowed for pre-manufacturing of all components within our own manufacturing facility. Close co-ordination and timely project management allowed up to six site teams to work across the UK, Channel Islands, Outer Hebrides, and Northern and Southern Ireland at any one time.

Dedicated Interserve teams (from Estimators through to fixing teams), working largely on Thomas Cook projects, allowed for the development of close working relationships between both parties, ensuring the delivery of projects on time and in-line with the client’s expectations. The average site duration was three days, relying upon continuous shift working patterns to ensure minimal disruption to the trading of each branch, with the works involving new carpet, laminate panels, lighting furniture and, internal and external signage.

Achievements

  • Close co-ordination with branch managers delivered through a dedicated help line number
  • Inherent knowledge of the Thomas Cook brand ensured lean delivery
  • Commercially driven to meet benchmark levels
  • Site teams working ‘out of hours’ ensured minimal disruption to trading stores
  • Carefully formulated programmes allowed for the swift execution for additional works, if required, and minimal disruption to planned branch openings
  • Maximised reuse and recycling of materials, including redundant office chairs being given to charities
  • Regionalised store roll out ensured deliveries were kept to a minimum
  • Advanced liaison with shopping centres and neighbours meant minimal disruption, in addition to mitigation of noise and dust

New concessions within Sainsbury’s stores

Over a period of one year Interserve worked nationwide, over 13 sites, to install concessions within Sainsbury’s stores for Thomas Cook Travel Shops. Although the Travel Shops were branded as Thomas Cook, Interserve worked closely with individual Sainsbury’s stores to ensure safe working practice and minimum customer disruption. The close liaison between Interserve and Sainsbury’s enabled the necessary interface with power, data and sprinklers to be conducted to Sainsbury’s.

New store fit-outs and existing store refurbishments

As well as completing extensive rebranding projects for Thomas Cook, Interserve has also successfully undertaken and managed a number of refurbishment and new build fit-out projects. These projects varied in scope and duration, and ranged in value from £120K to £350K. Projects involved the complete strip-out and refurbishment of existing stores, as well as the complete shell and core fit-out of new build stores, to include M&E, decorations, joinery fittings, furniture, ceilings, carpets, stud partition walls, plumbing to staff WCs and kitchen areas, and security provisions (alarms) and access control, and external works to create new shopfronts.

Bureau De Change – T5 Heathrow and Manchester airports

Thomas Cook foreign exchange bureaux, Heathrow AirportWith knowledge of the Thomas Cook brand image, and in providing assistance to the Thomas Cook Design Team, Interserve produced images and details to enable off-site pre-manufacture of bureau de change counters, inclusive of solid surface tops, and the co-ordination of power and data. These projects were completed in airside locations and entailed compliance with the stringent security regulations and procedures.