Teesside International Airport’s first duty-free shop in eight years has today (21 December) welcomed its first customers.
The store, part of the airport terminal’s multimillion-pound redevelopment, threw open its doors ahead this afternoon’s flights to London Heathrow and Aberdeen, with passengers flocking in to check out its great value products.
Global travel retailer Dufry operates the World Duty Free store and has signed up 12 staff after it agreed a 12-year deal with the airport, offering perfume & cosmetics, confectionery, luxury goods and a range of other duty-free favourites such as liquor items to passengers.
The vast majority of the work to create the duty-free area has been carried out by local firms, including Darlington’s Wharton Construction and Powercare Electrical Services and Middlesbrough’s RTS Joinery.
The 173 m2 walk through store is the latest retail offering for the airport alongside outlets such as boutique House of Zana and Rejoy and News Essentials which are already operating. These will soon be joined by a new Bannatyne Spa in the departures area, named after Dragons’ Den star Duncan Bannatyne, and Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen previously revealed plans for this £100,000 luxury facility.
Mayor Houchen said: “This opening represents the culmination of a year of work to bring our terminal into the 21st century and give local people everything that they could want in a modern, easy-to-use and friendly airport.
“Don’t get me wrong, the airport will constantly be improving, with a new landside Sky Bar and viewing platform set to come soon, alongside the Bannatyne Spa and further property development to benefit businesses as well as passengers.
“Opening this World Duty Free shop just in time for Christmas, though, is another major milestone in putting the pride back into Teesside, and it has created 12 good-quality jobs and supported some of our brilliant local construction companies in the process. If Santa’s passing through and needs some last-minute gifts, he knows where to come!”
Fred Creighton, World Duty Free CEO in the UK said: “We are pleased and proud to be part of this exciting new chapter in the airport’s story and to be able to play our part in helping to regenerate the airport and its retail offer. Our new tax- and duty-free store takes shopping to the next level for all passengers visiting the airport – and in time for Christmas! As well as helping to boost the local economy, we’ve also been able to further support the region by creating several new jobs for local people. We’re really looking forward to welcoming customers to the store, as they fly out of Teesside over the festive period”.
For more information on all of the domestic and international destinations served by Teesside International Airport, visit www.teessideinternational.com
