After 16 years on the road, Premier Holidays Business Development Manager Chris Redfern has decided he’s spent enough time behind the wheel of his car.

Instead, he’s taking on a new challenge as manager of Admiral Travel’s new branch in Cheadle, Cheshire, which is due to open early next month.

It will be the expanding Altrincham-based company’s fourth travel shop.

Chris, who has previously worked for ITC Travel Group, Beds With East, Palladium Hotel Group and Jet2, said: “I am getting to that stage in life when it would be nice to sleep in my own bed at night!

“I’ll miss all the different agents I’ve met over the years, all the characters, the friends I’ve made, but I have young children and being in one place is better for family life.

“Plus, I’m looking forward to seeing everyone at events, where it will be nice to be an agent instead of a supplier for a change.”

He will be in charge of a team of three full-time and two part-time agents in the Cheadle store, which is located in a shopping centre next to Sainsbury’s and John Lewis.

“We’ve been standing outside the shop for a couple of days, looking at the footfall, and I expect we’ll be selling a mix of holidays, some high-end because there’s a lot of wealth in the area, a lot of footballers live here, and it’s a busy area so the footfall is good,” he said.

Admiral Director Andrew Nelson is looking at further expanding the business, if its fourth shop is as successful as its existing three stores, added Chris.

“We’re planning to open in the first week of November, we’re just waiting now for the BT phone line to go in!”