Olive Lounge Travel has opened its fourth retail premises in Ilkley, a Yorkshire spa town, after a years-long search for the right location. The agency’s founder and Managing Director, Gillian Polyhos, had been looking for a suitable site in Ilkley for “many years” but couldn’t find the right location or didn’t have enough staff or the right management structure to make it work.
Polyhos said she felt the current situation in Ilkley represented real potential for growth, as well as an opportunity to give the people of Ilkley and the surrounding areas more choice and the chance to experience what Olive Lounge Travel is all about. The agency has always had an incredibly strong share of the Jet2 and Leeds Bradford product mix, and Polyhos only sees this growing alongside its tailor-made, cruise, and long-haul operations.
New Branch Opens
The Ilkley branch opened its doors on 1 September 2026, and the team will be led by Aimi Donohue, who has joined Olive Lounge from White’s Travel as Retail Operations Manager. Donohue will also assume operational responsibilities for the other shops alongside Polyhos and Director Elfie Higson, who manages Olive Lounge’s Skipton branch.
Donohue will work in the Ilkley shop alongside Darcey Milstead, who initially joined Olive Lounge as a trainee and has gone on to develop her skills working in both the agency’s Bingley and Cross Hills branches. Polyhos said Donohue has tremendous management experience in a number of different areas and really shares the vision they have not only for Ilkley, but the rest of the business.
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Expansion Plans
Olive Lounge Travel’s expansion into Ilkley is part of the agency’s plans to grow its presence in the region. Polyhos explained that the agency’s trade partners understand the marketplace and the unique demographics across the region, and that many people had recommended Ilkley as a location. The agency is looking to work alongside some of the hospitality venues in the coming months to offer “Dine and Learn” events, where customers are offered subsidised dining alongside informative presentations around a topic such as cruising or a specific destination.
These events have been proven to be a real success at the agency’s other branches, and Polyhos hopes to cement Olive Lounge Travel’s position within the local businesses community. The agency has always rotated its staff between its shops, and Donohue and Milstead can expect to be rotated around the agency’s shops even though they will be primarily based in Ilkley.
Background
Olive Lounge Travel was founded by Gillian Polyhos in 2015 with then business partner Joanne Edwards, whom she bought out earlier this year to assume sole ownership of the business. The agency’s second branch, Bingley, opened in 2024, and its third, Skipton, opened in 2025. Olive Lounge Travel was named TTG Top 50 Travel Agencies Top Agency in Yorkshire in 2025.
The agency’s commitment to offering “Dine and Learn” events and working alongside local hospitality venues is a sign that they are invested in becoming a part of the community. For the people of Ilkley and the surrounding areas, this expansion means more choice and the chance to experience what Olive Lounge Travel is all about.
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Future Plans
Olive Lounge Travel’s new shop in Ilkley is now open, and the agency is urging potential customers to pop in and “talk holidays”. With its strong team in place and its commitment to offering unique events and experiences, the agency is well-positioned for success in the region.
As Polyhos looks to the future, she is excited to see how the agency will continue to grow and evolve, and how it will continue to serve the people of Ilkley and the surrounding areas. The agency’s expansion into Ilkley is a significant milestone, and it marks an important step in the agency’s plans to grow its presence in the region.
The agency is well-positioned for success in the years to come, with its commitment to offering unique events and experiences, and its strong team in place.
Olive Lounge Travel will continue to offer its customers a range of travel options, including Jet2 and Leeds Bradford products, as well as tailor-made, cruise, and long-haul operations. By leveraging the expertise of its staff, such as Donohue and Milstead, the agency can provide personalized service to its clients, helping them to create memorable travel experiences.