Olive Lounge Travel celebrates new Ilkley branch with special opening day

Independent travel agency Olive Lounge Travel has opened its doors on Leeds Road in llkley and is inviting local customers to join the team for a special opening day celebration on Friday 2 October.

The new branch, at 9B Leeds Road, officially opened on 1 September and the team has already settled into its new home, receiving a warm welcome from customers and the wider Ilkley business community. The Ilkley team consists of Retail Operations Manager Aimi Donohue and Travel Consultant Darcey Milsted, who are on hand to help customers plan everything from holidays in the sun to once-in-a-lifetime experiences.

The opening marks the latest stage in the rapid growth of Olive Lounge Travel. Established in 2015, the business is led by directors Gillian Polyhos and Elfie Higson. It initially operated from a home office in Silsden before moving into its first dedicated office in Cross Hills. As the business grew, a second branch opened in Barrowford, followed by Bingley in 2024 and Skipton in November 2025.

The Barrowford branch closed during the pandemic when travel came to a standstill, while the Crosshills business continued to operate. As demand for travel returned, the business experienced renewed growth, leading to the opening of further branches and, now, the much-anticipated Ilkley office.

The directors had been keen to establish a presence in Ilkley for some time and spent time looking for the right location before finding the Leeds Road premises.

Olive Lounge Travel is an independent travel agency, giving its team access to a wide range

of tour operators and suppliers, alongside the knowledge and experience built up across the business. There are currently 14 employees, with a further three team members working from home.

The company has built a strong reputation for personal service, with a high level of repeat business and customer loyalty. Its experienced team has more than 100 years of combined professional travel experience and offers everything from package holidays with major travel brands to individually tailored trips, including flights, private transfers, accommodation, car hire and connections by air, rail, land and sea.

The business has also received national recognition, including being named Yorkshire’s Top Agency 2025 at the prestigious TTG UK Top 50 Awards in Manchester. The annual awards recognise leading travel agencies across the UK, with Olive Lounge Travel being named among the Top 50.

Aimi Donohue said the personal service and reassurance offered by the team are central to the business’s success.

“We’ve built a really loyal customer base, with people coming back to us time and time again and trusting us with their holidays. I think a big part of that is knowing that we’re there for them if anything goes wrong and that they have that reassurance and protection.

“We also have great relationships with lots of independent operators, which means we can create holidays that are really bespoke and tailored to what our clients want.

“I love being in Ilkley. I’m from Silsden but I’ve never worked here before. Everyone has been so friendly and the business community has been incredibly supportive. It’s a fabulous location and we’re really enjoying being here.”

The welcoming atmosphere continues inside the new branch, which has been designed to feel more like a boutique than a traditional corporate travel agency. Gillian and Elfie personally oversee the interior design of each branch, with every location given its own personality and complementary colour scheme. The Ilkley branch features a distinctive denim blue and orange colour palette.

Aimi added that the design reflects the experience Olive Lounge Travel wants customers to have when they walk through the door.

“There’s a lovely feel inside the branches. They have a boutique style and are very interior design-led, but they’re also warm and welcoming. Gillian and Elfie wanted people to feel comfortable and at ease as soon as they walk through the door, rather than it feeling like a corporate environment.”

The Ilkley team will hold an Opening Day Celebration on Friday 2 October, welcoming both new customers and those who have supported Olive Lounge Travel since it opened. Running from 9.30am to 5pm, the event will give visitors the chance to step inside the new store, meet the team, enjoy some refreshments and find out more about the travel services and bespoke holidays available.

For Olive Lounge Travel, the Ilkley opening represents another milestone in the journey of a growing independent business built around experience, personal service and long-standing relationships with its customers.