It was a case of all hands on deck as the final preparations were made for the opening of a new Sidmouth travel store.

A branch of the Exmouth firm Travel World will open its doors for the first time on Friday (May 11) after a £15,000 refit. Glasses of bubbly will also be shared with the first customers.

The refurbishment of the High Street store started on April 2 and saw the shop, in the right-hand side of Haydn Welch jewellers, completely transformed with a fresh lick of paint, new shelving, computers, telephones and a giant map of the world on the wall.

Hannah Burford-Campbell, managing partner, said: “It’s been really quick. It’s nearly driven me to drink.”

She added that the family-run business wanted to get involved in the community and run promotions offering local products.

Everyone who makes a booking in the first month will receive either a case of wine from Sidmouth Wines or a hamper from the Dairy Shop.

In the first year all bookings, for each month, will go into a prize draw and will be in with a chance to win something from a local business.

Hannah added: “We wanted to bring something a bit different to Sidmouth.

“We pride ourselves on our customer service. We want to be able to spend time with clients and find what’s right for them.”

The 41-year-old has been in the travel industry for 23 years.

At the age of eight, Hannah also wrote to Jim’ll Fix It to be on Wish You Were Here with Judith Chalmers.

She said: “That would be my dream job.”

Hannah said her personal favourite holiday destinations were Norway and Austria.

She admitted she would have also quite liked to have been a ski instructor too.

Hannah, who is a mum-of-two, added she also liked anything involving wildlife and five years ago was lucky enough to go to the Galapagos Islands.

The new branch manager, Christine Reed, who was also lending a hand with last-minute preparations, said: “I’m really excited.

“It’s a new challenge and it’s going to be nice to have a fresh office and get to meet our new customers.”