- John Lewis and Waitrose in Horsham provided free atrium space to Select Travel Ltd.
- Swan Walk Shopping Centre closed after a glass roof panel fell on August 12.
- The travel agency uses the John Lewis space for new business acquisition.
- Select Travel Ltd splits time between the temporary desk and its back-entrance shop.
- The arrangement was coordinated through the local business improvement district.
John Lewis has offered support to a travel agency facing loss of walk-in business following the closure of its host shopping mall. The local John Lewis and Waitrose stores in Horsham gave free atrium space to Select Travel Ltd after the Swan Walk Shopping Centre closed abruptly when a glass roof panel fell. This setup lets the travel agency catch walk-in traffic and new holiday bookings while their main storefront remains restricted.
Naina Mehta and her team running Select Travel Ltd have been affected by the closure. Swan Walk Shopping Centre shut down after a glass panel fell from the roof on August 12. Arranged via the local business improvement district, John Lewis provided a free desk, chair, sofa, and banner space in their atrium. The agency splits time between the temporary John Lewis desk for new business and their back-entrance shop for existing clients.
The intervention provides a temporary lifeline for the agency as it adapts to reduced high-street footfall. The story underlines ongoing challenges for bricks-and-mortar travel retailers who depend on shopping centre footfall for customer acquisition.
