IT is a rare thing to see a customer brimming with excitement when entering a store but that is very much the case at Trowbridge's Howard Travel.

Ever since the award-winning, indepedent company in Church Walk was founded by Howard Edgington in 1987, thousands of customers have gone away feeling satisfied, safe in the knowledge that their holiday package is guaranteed to deliver.

Reputation is everything to independent businesses and Howard's Travel have a glowing one at that, as their customer base, which early on was 95 per cent local, is now 50 per cent half local and half non local.

"People recommend us and word spreads, it is that simple," said Mr Edginton, 58.

The business, which sorted 5,000 holidays in 2016, has undergone a fair few changes over the past three decades, what with manually logging everything, to the introduction of the internet and being taken over by Norad Travel Group in 2015.

However their key ethos of keeping their existing customers happy and providing tailor made holidays has not changed one iota.

"We have a wealth of experience here at Howard Travel. Our team of experts have more than 300 combined years' experience in this industry and that is why our customers keep coming back," said managing director Linda Foote, 57.

"What is great about this job, is that no two days are the same. There is always a customer looking to go to a far flung region of the planet and we do our very best to make sure it is a trip they will never forget.

"We pride ourselves on having a great reputation in Trowbridge. Even though I am the MD, I love being on the ground with the troops and meeting our customers, that is the best bit."

The arrival of the internet in the last couple of decades threatened to make travel agents surplus to requirements but Howard Travel are actually showing signs of growth.

Nick Payton, regional operations manager, said: "I think with the internet there is so much choice but what people like about this place is that personal touch and actually having an expert, who goes to countries around the world all year to find out about the place, is greatly appreciated.

"I go between the three branches, here, in Enniskillen in Ireland and our head office in Hampshire. We have a great team here who do a great job."

Mr Edginton handed over the reins to Norad in January 2015 and he is happy with the transition and excited for their future.

"I have been in this business since the age of 11, helping out my dad, and I can safely say that I still love it, more than 40 years on," added Mr Edginton.

"Travel has gone from being aspirational to mainstream during my time in this industry. Less than 20 per cent of people had passports, now more than 90 per cent do.

"We have had some big changes over the years, but we have come through it all and we have an exciting future ahead."

Fact File:

Phone number: 01225 777227

Address: 12-13 Church Walk, Trowbridge, Wiltshire, BA14 8DX

Founder: Howard Edgington

Managing Director: Linda Foote

Number of Staff: 17

Opened: 1987