Bill Munro ended 43-year association with Barrhead Travel after acrimonious bust-up with new US owners
Bill Munro, the founder of Scotland’s biggest independent chain of travel agents nearly 50 years ago, has died aged 80.
Mr Munro, who passed away on Saturday at his home at Thorntonhall in South Lanarkshire, switched from banking to launch Barrhead Travel in 1975.
His daughter Sharon took over the business in a management buy-out in 2007, but he remained as chairman until an acrimonious bust-up with its new US owners Travel Leaders Group in 2018 after being offered an advisory role.
Mr Munro later won his claim for unfair dismissal, but was not awarded any compensation by an employment tribunal.
Mr Munro said: “This was never about money – it was about much more than that, my reputation and my standing in the industry.”
Mr Munro, who was born in Eaglesham in South Lanarkshire, had grown the business, which employed 900 people in 75 locations by the time he cut his ties.
His innovations included being one of the first British travel agencies to launch a website, in 1999.
Mark Hollinshead, chief operating officer of National World, owner of The Scotsman, said Mr Munro was “one of the founding architects of the modern travel industry in the UK”.
He said: “He was one of the trailblazers in UK travel and his entrepreneurial spirit, common-sense approach and straight talking will ensure that he is remembered as more than a just a good solid businessman.”
Mr Hollinshead said: “While looking for a holiday, Bill identified what would prove to be a transformational gap in the market.
“Sunday and evening opening hours were unheard of. Always with customer behaviour at the forefront of his thinking, Bill opened his first shop in Main Street, Barrhead, in 1975.
“Of course, the shop opened evenings and weekends, and soon there were queues along the street every Saturday morning.”
He said Barrhead Travel branches were opened in nearly every major Scottish town as foreign holiday travel boomed in the 1980s and 1990s.
Mr Munro has said: “I started life in a bank during the era before banking became fun.
“I gained banking qualifications before moving into sales and marketing positions for a few years then opened my own travel agency aged 31, jumping in at the deep end with no prior knowledge.”
However, he did not like being called an entrepreneur.
He said: “I don’t like that term at all because I think they take too many risks with other people’s money.
“I would rather be referred to personally as a good solid businessman who is more interested in being business long term rather than making a quick killing.”
Mr Munro stepping back from the business enabled him to spend more time sailing beloved boat Boarding Pass with Susan, his partner of 30 years, whom he recently married.
A spokesperson for the Scottish Passenger Agents Association, which represents the travel industry, said: “Bill had an invaluable and transformational impact on the travel industry and his legacy is evident in the Scottish travel sector today.”
