After 36 years, Twirltour Travel may have closed its rather interesting office doors at 101 Green Street, but Managing Director Richard Stanier says, “This time for change is a result of the devas-tating affect the pandemic has had on the travel industry. For the first time, I look forward to serv-ing my longstanding and loyal clients remotely in the future, while I also plan to give more support to our charity, www.theirfuturetoday.org”
Richard, with wife Lynn, originally set up Twirl-tour Travel above a music shop in Walton-on-Thames in 1985, in response to a new trend of ‘flight only’. It was the first ground arrangements only agency of its kind to serve a growing market of more discerning, independent and curious trav-ellers, who wanted more than a packaged holiday.
In 1989, Twirltour moved into Green Street, the premises of the old Surgical Footwear Factory, which they converted into offices, offering the first hot desks. They expanded as a worldwide travel agency, specialising in a growing number of desti-nations of their particular interest.
Mr and Mrs Stanier (not to be confused with Mr and Mrs Smith!) inspected hotels and resorts on their family holidays, as well as on familiarisation trips visiting more than 60 countries, which ena-bled them to give first hand personal recommenda-tions based on their clients needs and individual requirements.
Lynn saw another opportunity in the late 80’s, and set up Air Representation, one of the first inde-pendent businesses to provide meet and greet ser-vices at Heathrow and Gatwick airports for celebri-ties, Royalty and legends like Frank Sinatra, Tom Jones, Shirley Bassey, George Harrison, Status Quo, Prince, George Michael, Celine Dion, Lisa Minnelli, Barbara Streisand to name drop a few!
In the 90’s, Twirltour organised first class travel for Michael Jackson and his entourage, and MJ’s management agency made an offer to buy out Twirltour Travel. Although initially tempted, the family orientated pair decided that being present and local for their growing family of three children was their priority, so they turned the offer down, and decided to remain independent.
101, became the first Headquarters for England Cricket’s Barmy Army, co-founded by Paul Burn-ham, and in 2001 Twirltour organised the first overseas youth county cricket tours to Sri Lanka for Surrey and Sussex County Cricket clubs, as well as public schools and colleges. They expanded as one of the first wedding, honeymoon and cultur-al tour specialists to Sri Lanka, their most favourite country, despite the raging civil war, which ended after 30 years on the day of their annual charity ball in 2009. They also raised funds for the first state orphanage restoration there.
Lynn founded Their Future Today (TFT) in 2005, after a harrowing volunteer experience in an or-phanage following the devastating asian tsunami. It is the first international non-government organisa-tion in Sri Lanka, to have actively influenced poli-cy change to end institutionalisation, transforming the lives of thousands of institutionalised and dis-advantaged children. Lynn received an MBE from HM The Queen in 2018.
Twirltour Travel has grown over the years purely by word and mouth, without advertising or social media, and clients from all over the world continue to enjoy Richard’s passion for travel, first hand knowledge, personal recommendations, and ad-vice, never more so than now as the travel industry slowly begins to get back on its feet.
Richard said, “We’re very grateful to all our won-derful local clients and charity supporters who have made so many firsts possible from 101, and we wish good luck and exciting times ahead to Mark Collis, and The Good Estate Agent who has taken over the premises at 101”.
Twirltour Travel: O1932 787469.