A TRAIN holiday company has extended its own horizons by expanding its head office in York.

Great Rail Journeys, which won the overall award at The Press Business Awards in 2008, as well as Growth Business Of The Year, has taken two further floors in Saviour House on St Saviourgate, giving it about 12,800 sq ft of offices over the basement, ground and first floors.

Richard Adams, marketing manager at Great Rail Journeys, which runs about 130 rail tours to more than 40 countries, said the company had been looking at relocating to new offices, but the opportunity came up to take extra space in the building.

He said the extra space improved conditions for staff and gave them the space to expand.

“We have been going through expansions and contraction over the course of the last two years and we feel now we’re stable in terms of numbers of staff working in the right areas with room to expand. It was becoming a bit of a squeeze to find another desk if we wanted to employ a new member of staff.”

The business employs 110 people at the head office in York and a further 260 tour managers who lead the tours.

Mr Adams said the tour managers would benefit from the extra space too, particularly new meeting rooms, which will be used for training.

He said: “Our tour managers don’t work in York, but they have training requirements and can bond with each other and the company here.

“The success of the holiday is down in large part to the personality of the tour manager and the atmosphere they engender in the group.”

There is also a new large staff area, with couches, comfy chairs and internet access to provide a more comfortable environment for staff.

Richard Dunn, partner at Sanderson Weatherall, who advised the business, said although the market remained tough, this was an example of some good transactions which had been seen this year.

He said: “There is now relatively little floor space available to cater for larger requirements in city centre. New council offices at West Offices will be an important piece of development near the station and will free up some existing sites for alternative uses or redevelopment.”