Who remembers Exchange Travel in Parker Road, Hastings?

Leigh Wieland-Boys… I worked there for five years in the 70s! It was a great place to work!

Rachel Rayburn…Yes I also worked there for a while in the 70’s. Remember Jose Fernandez?

Leigh Wieland-Boys… very well, he was such a lovely man! When we’re you there? We’ve had a couple of reunions over the years. I was there from 74-78 Malta Admin then Secretary – who else do you remember? Fred Vines was Reservations Manager then

Rachel Rayburn… It would have been 1973/74 I worked in Reservations on the Malta section.

John Mcewen… Yep, lived in Parker road from 69 for 11 years. Mum’s still there.

Graham How… Apparently, I worked there too… but it was in the studio!

Terry Pack… It would seem that the real question is ‘Is there anyone who doesn’t remember Exchange Travel, and didn’t work there at some time or other?’

Chris Connell… My Mum worked in the canteen. She made cakes and scones and even helped with cooking the staff Christmas dinners.

Dave Nattress… Me Terry, Ha Ha!! One of those places, where so many worked like so many in and around – somewhat naturally I suppose, but I had many friends who did work there and knew of the place well. It was a very large operation. I suppose in a while it will be who did NOT work at Hastings Direct!!

Graham Sherrington… Ive been in the Airline Industry for over 40 years started in 1977 and I can tell you THOSE WERE THE DAYS!!!!

Jane Kilby also Burmingham… I used to work there from 81 until they went under!!! X

Bookham Ally… My old boss, John Kilroy, from my days at the Singapore Tourist Board in London was at Exchange.

Mandy Wright… I worked there from 1984 until the end , reservations, Bonanza and accounts. ( occasional we had such fun. Xx

Judith Monk… My Mum worked there Betty Hadfield.

Alan Esdaile… Pat, our late bookkeeper at Masons worked there for many years. I also looked round the empty building a number of times, as they were desperate to get rid of it  but with so many officers and limited head room it wasn’t suitable and too costly to turn into a warehouse. It’s now Ore Valley Sussex Coast College.

Peter Thomson… I remember it well as Parker Road was quite close to my home, but never worked there. While in IT Ops at Ashdown House, our ICL Support Engineers also covered for the computers at Exchange. Living in Peterborough, it rang a few bells when Thomas Cook went under last year.

Pete Banham… I worked there 1978-83. I drove one of the ‘union jack’ staff mini buses. I did a lot of running around for Gordon McNally and Sylvia. Used to drive his collection of lovely old motors about. It was a fun firm to work for.

Graham How… I did! Great times working in the studio with Cliff Brooker.

Anita Medhurst… I worked there too for 6 years with Graham How and Cliff Brooker for the first year and with Leigh Weiland as she was then. I didn’t appreciate it at the time but it was a great place to work.

Leigh Wieland-Boys… Anita, they were great days xx

Sue Maylam… I worked there from 1981’ish to 1984 and remember Loretta, Little Liz and Big Liz on the Hawaii Desk, Bob Spooner, Lucy, Jean and Ann. I went with Jean and Ann and another lady (whose name eludes me) to Cyprus in 1984 on a trip to check the hotels out that we featured, for the next years’ brochure and met Mrs Vanna Anatolito in the Cyprus Office. My boss was the Spanish chap, Jose. Lovely memories.

Angela Carswell… I worked there in the late 70’s early 80’s. The name Graham Sherringham rings a bell. I was a PA and worked for an accountant (short with glasses) who had a French wife,can’t remember his name, There were two sisters one called Nicky? and Ali? one was so funny, she was very tall with curly blond hair and her younger sister worked there too. Another girl called Leoni Watson. I moved from London to buy a flat and this was a great place to work. I had a great time. I live in Sydney Australia now.

Pete Banham… Angela, I think the accountant guy was Mike Flenley. If you have a brother called John I went to school with him in South London.

Angela Carswell… Yes, it was Mike Flenley. Yes, John is my brother and he went to school in South London! What a small world.

Judith Monk… My Mum worked there, Betty Hadfield.

Heidi Scaddan… Hey, I used to work in rhe accounts department 1988-1990….
Some colleagues where Mandy, Angelica, David…. good times there sometimes as well … greetings from Germany 🙂 Heidi

John Mcewen… I do. I lived opposite in the late 70s.

Bookham Ally… Anyone remember John Kilroy?

Steven Dylan… (in reply to Pete Banham) I worked as a travel agent in Harpenden, Hertfordshire. The manager was an idiot.

Jan Brookes… Lots of names I seem to remember. I worked at HO in Parker Road from around 1985 for about 4 years. Initially for the Franchise Department as Start Up Manager – opening the new Franchised branches throughout England – then I joined the Franchise Department assisiting the Franchise Director Dennis Beechinor and then Tony Scott – then I joined the Training Department working for Stuart Gray. Some of the happiest days of my working life apart from the fact my home and family were in Gloucester and I was away most of the week – I shared one of the two staff houses in Parker Road – the Caretaker lived in the third one. Gordon Mcnally’s business ideas were decades ahead of the competition – Franchising to expand – selling your own travel insurance to make additional profit etc etc. I think I remember John Kilroy and it was his department that used to send emails to each other even though they were sharing the same office – heady stuff in the mid 80’s! Ray Palmer was Sales Director – Lesley Cobby his PA – Ross Mcnally and his very glamorous PA Jan -great guys in the Drawing Office – John Emsley who was based in Parker Road and lived in York! – how crazy were we all? Shows what a great company it was to work for. I am amazed that no-one has set up a FB page

Filios Theodorou… I remember Exchange Travel and have fond memories of Gordon McNally. I never worked there but as the director of the Cyprus Tourist Office I cooperated with Gordon for over 10 years. He was a visionary and a gentleman.

Steven Dylan… Filios, I think Gordon McNally’s son was Ross, if I remember correctly. The manager of the branch in Harpenden, Hertfordshire was so nervous and on edge when he came to visit.

Anita Medhurst… I worked there from 1975 for 6 years firstly in the studio then in the agency sales department we had such a good time working there it was great fun. remember John Kilroy.

Stephen Dylan… Yes, I remember Gordon McNally (1924-2002). Didn’t know him well. I met him in the summer of 1976 in Hastings. I was 23-years old and working in Harpenden, Hertfordshire.

Mark Richard Whitworth… I worked for Exchange from 1989 to its demise in 1990 running Exchange Travel Holidays and Bonanza Airfares. I was brought in to make the tour operations profitable and basically turned a £1m annual loss into £1m annual profit within a year. The problem was that the company’s cashflow was being used to fund property development. In 1990 property prices plummeted and the travel operation was dragged under. The McNallys had a sound grasp of the travel business but made a mistake tying the travel side with proprty development. I had a staff of forty or so, and some very good people were sadly made redundant when the business went under. None of us got a penny from the receivers.

Jan… Mark, I know there were plans to move HO to Exeter – many of us enjoyed a fully funded weekend to sell us the idea. I am guessing that is the property development you are referring to. Such a shame that so many people lost their jobs

Steven Dylan… Does anyone know Jean Hawkey who worked at Exchange Travel, Harpenden, Hertfordshire in the 1970s?She lived in St. Albans.

Philip Van Campden… I believe Jean Hawkey passed away in 2008.

Anne Willis… I worked for Exchange twice, once in retail late 70’s and early eighties. I started at Guildford, then opened the new implant in Staines Debenhams, then back to manage Guildford then left to go into business travel. Came back and worked at London Royal Exchange when they went into business travel until they went broke. Very sad. It was a great company to work for.
I remember Gordon and Ross, John Kilroy, Derek Oakley, Ray Palmer, Dennis Beechinor, Dominic O’Connor, John Kingsford. Some really nice people.

David Rutter… A bit of a “strange request”, but reading quite a number of comments concerning Exchange Travel, I was wondering if anyone has some images of their shops and brochures I could use? I do some writing on coach companies and I am inserting a page about the company in comparison to the coach in certain operations. The Exchange Travel always interested me when my own family coach company operated as we also have a couple of travel agencies and the franchise part ET promoted I thought at the time was a good idea, especially with the very British promotion of union flag “luggage label”. http://www.hor2.com

Bookham Ally… RIP John. You were a great boss and good friend.

 

 

20 thoughts on “Who remembers Exchange Travel in Parker Road, Hastings?”

  1. Me Terry, Ha Ha!! One of those places, where so many worked like so many in and around – somewhat naturally I suppose, but I had many friends who did work there and knew of the place well. It was a very large operation.

    I suppose in a while it will be who did NOT work at Hastings Direct!!

    Reply
  2. I worked there 1978-83. I drove one of the ‘union jack’ staff mini buses. I did a lot of running around for Gordon McNally and Sylvia. Used to drive his collection of lovely old motors about. It was a fun firm to work for.

    Reply
  3. I worked there from 1981’ish to 1984 and remember Loretta, Little Liz and Big Liz on the Hawaii Desk, Bob Spooner, Lucy, Jean and Ann. I went with Jean and Ann and another lady (whose name eludes me) to Cyprus in 1984 on a trip to check the hotels out that we featured, for the next years’ brochure and met Mrs Vanna Anatolito in the Cyprus Office. My boss was the Spanish chap, Jose. Lovely memories.

    Reply
  4. I worked there in the late 70’s early 80’s. The name Graham Sherringham rings a bell. I was a PA and worked for an accountant (short with glasses) who had a French wife,can’t remember his name, There were two sisters one called Nicky? and Ali? one was so funny, she was very tall with curly blond hair and her younger sister worked there too. Another girl called Leoni Watson. I moved from London to buy a flat and this was a great place to work. I had a great time. I live in Sydney Australia now.
    Angela Dempsey

    Reply
    • I think the accountant guy was Mike Flenley. If you have a brother called John I went to school with him in South London.

      Reply
  5. Yes, it was Mike Flenley. Yes, John is my brother and he went to school in South London! What a small world.

    Reply
  6. Hey, I used to work in rhe accounts department 1988-1990….
    Some colleagues where Mandy, Angelica, David…. good times there sometimes as well … greetings from germany 🙂 Heidi

    Reply
  7. I worked as a travel agent in Harpenden, Hertfordshire from 1976 to 1979. The manager was John Rogers who was an arrogant idiot. Some people you never want to see again.

    Reply
  8. Lots of names I seem to remember. I worked at HO in Parker Road from around 1985 for about 4 years. Initially for the Franchise Department as Start Up Manager – opening the new Franchised branches throughout England – then I joined the Franchise Department assisiting the Franchise Director Dennis Beechinor and then Tony Scott – then I joined the Training Department working for Stuart Gray. Some of the happiest days of my working life apart from the fact my home and family were in Gloucester and I was away most of the week – I shared one of the two staff houses in Parker Road – the Caretaker lived in the third one. Gordon Mcnally’s business ideas were decades ahead of the competition – Franchising to expand – selling your own travel insurance to make additional profit etc etc. I think I remember John Kilroy and it was his department that used to send emails to each other even though they were sharing the same office – heady stuff in the mid 80’s! Ray Palmer was Sales Director – Lesley Cobby his PA – Ross Mcnally and his very glamorous PA Jan -great guys in the Drawing Office – John Emsley who was based in Parker Road and lived in York! – how crazy were we all? Shows what a great company it was to work for. I am amazed that no-one has set up a FB page

    Reply
  9. I remember Exchange Travel and have fond memories of Gordon McNally. I never worked there but as the director of the Cyprus Tourist Office I cooperated with Gordon for over 10 years. He was a visionary and a gentleman.

    Reply
    • I think Gordon McNally’s son was Ross, if I remember correctly. The manager of the branch in Harpenden, Hertfordshire was so nervous and on edge when he came to visit.

      Reply
  10. Yes, I remember Gordon McNally (1924-2002). Didn’t know him well. I met him in the summer of 1976 in Hastings. I was 23-years old and working in Harpenden, Hertfordshire.

    Reply
  11. I worked for Exchange from 1989 to its demise in 1990 running Exchange Travel Holidays and Bonanza Airfares. I was brought in to make the tour operations profitable and basically turned a £1m annual loss into £1m annual profit within a year. The problem was that the company’s cashflow was being used to fund property development. In 1990 property prices plummeted and the travel operation was dragged under. The McNallys had a sound grasp of the travel business but made a mistake tying the travel side with proprty development. I had a staff of forty or so, and some very good people were sadly made redundant when the business went under. None of us got a penny from the receivers.

    Reply
    • I know there were plans to move HO to Exeter – many of us enjoyed a fully funded weekend to sell us the idea. I am guessing that is the property development you are referring to. Such a shame that so many people lost their jobs

      Reply
  12. Does anyone know Jean Hawkey who worked at Exchange Travel, Harpenden, Hertfordshire in the 1970s?

    She lived in St. Albans.

    Reply
  13. I worked for Exchange twice, once in retail late 70’s and early eighties. I started at Guildford, then opened the new implant in Staines Debenhams, then back to manage Guildford then left to go into business travel. Came back and worked at London Royal Exchange when they went into business travel until they went broke. Very sad. It was a great company to work for.
    I remember Gordon and Ross, John Kilroy, Derek Oakley, Ray Palmer, Dennis Beechinor, Dominic O’Connor, John Kingsford. Some really nice people.

    Reply
  14. A bit of a “strange request”, but reading quite a number of comments concerning Exchange Travel, I was wondering if anyone has some images of their shops and brochures I could use? I do some writing on coach companies and I am inserting a page about the company in comparison to the coach in certain operations. The Exchange Travel always interested me when my own family coach company operated as we also have a couple of travel agencies and the franchise part ET promoted I thought at the time was a good idea, especially with the very British promotion of union flag “luggage label”.

    Reply

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