Property News - Flight Centre to spread its wings in Scottish push

Discount airfare specialist Flight Centre is seeking to expand its Scottish operations after taking its first shopping centre unit north of the border.

The Australian-owned travel agent has taken a 15-year lease on a 270 sq ft (25 sq m) unit at Glasgow's Buchanan Galleries at£40,000 a year.

A three-month rent-free period was agreed.

Buchanan Galleries letting agent Stephen Gunn, at the Glasgow office of Cushman & Wakefield Healey & Baker, said: 'Flight Centre is quite aggressive and seems to be taking the market by storm.'

Flight Centre will now operate three stores in Glasgow and two in Edinburgh, where it is keen to open more branches. The travel agent operates almost 60 UK stores, of which nearly 40 are in London.