The Thomas Cook store in Halstead High Street has been proposed for closure, while branches in Braintree and Witham will remain open.

The travel chain announced yesterday it would close 195 of its 1,069 UK branches, cutting 2,500 jobs in the process.

A consultation will begin on the future of the Halstead store, which has four full-time staff.

Branches in New Street, Braintree, and the Newlands Shopping Centre in Witham, however, will not be affected by the cuts.

Joanna Wild, managing director of the Thomas Cook Co-operative retail network, said: “As a large retailer we regularly review our network to make sure we have the right stores in the right places for our customers and regrettably there are occasions where we need to close certain branches.

"Following careful consideration, we have announced that the Halstead Thomas Cook store is proposed to close and we are working with those colleagues who are affected.

“We’d like to thank both our colleagues and customers for the commitment and understanding during this process. Our high street stores are a popular way for customers to book with us and are an essential part of our multi-channel approach alongside our websites and sales centres.”