North East independent holiday company Hays Travel has acquired franchise partner Just Go Travel in an undisclosed deal.

Wrexham based Just Go operates 46 branches across the North West and North Wales, and has worked with Hays Travel as both an Independence Group member and franchisee, and Hays Travel has now snapped up 45 of its shops. The Sunderland business has swooped for the North Wales travel company in a deal which sees its owner and founder Don Bircham leave to focus on his leisure portfolio, the Fat Boar Group.

Dame Irene Hays said the addition of Just Go Travel comes at a ‘perfect time’ for the business. She said: “Don Bircham is a true entrepreneur and among the most experienced people in the travel industry. Just Go is an outstanding business and we are all delighted with this latest acquisition.

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“Don employs great people who have delivered fantastic results and we look forward to welcoming them to the Hays Travel family. This acquisition has come at a perfect time for Hays Travel as we focus on executing our strategic priorities around cruise and experiential travel. I wish Don all the very best success for the future.”

Entrepreneur Don Bircham, who was chief executive of Wrexham football club until 2016, said Just Go will retain its very first shop in Mold. He now plans to focus on helping the growth of local tourism, which has been boosted ever since Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney bought Wrexham FC.

Mr Bircham, Just Go Travel’s owner and managing director, joined Hays Travel as an Independence Group member over 22 years ago, before becoming a franchisee in 2015.

He said: “Although there has to be an element of sadness that my journey has come to an end, it gives me great comfort that all my staff have found a great home with Hays Travel, our partners for over 20 years. All 300 jobs are safe and secure, with little disruption to day-to-day activity and better opportunities for career development and progression.

“I pay tribute to Lindsey Barber, our retail director, the senior management team, and all the staff who have delivered underlying profits (Ebitda) of £6m for the last financial year. My thanks to Dame Irene Hays for her support in recent years, and of course to her late husband John. My journey, like so many others in the industry, could not have happened without him.

“I’m not quite ready yet for retirement and I’m delighted that we will retain our very first store in Mold, North Wales and operate it under the Hays Travel brand.

“I also intend to take a more active role in our bar and restaurant portfolio, as well as developing the inbound tourism opportunity that has grown in Wrexham and North Wales since the involvement of Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney at my beloved Wrexham FC.”