DEVIZES travel agent Louis Rutter has retired after nearly 40 years in business in the town.

Mr Rutter and his wife Brenda plan to pursue their travelling dream after selling their Travelwise business to employee June Allan and Philip Normington, who previously worked with a national tour operator.

Mr Rutter started trading in Devizes in a photographic studio in the High Street in 1965. In 1971 it transferred to the top of The Brittox.

A year later, Mr Rutter and his father in law, Arthur Forder, opened Travelwise with Devizes businessman Alex Croall.

For the following 27 years the Rutters ran both businesses.

The photo studio developed into a photo and hi-fi shop but closed when the lease expired in 1998. The pair then transferred all their effort into developing Travelwise into a successful specialist travel agency.

As members of the Worldchoice marketing organisation, a national grouping of more than 500 independent travel agents, Travelwise is able to compete with the nationally owned agencies.

Mr Rutter said: "I was fortunate indeed to have a team of excellent, experienced staff who do know what they are talking about."

Mr Rutter said: "We were thrilled to be placed in the top 20 UK independent travel agents of 2001."

The Rutters said they will now be able to spend more time in their second home in Portugal and do a lot more continental touring in their caravan.