One of the UK’s major holiday firms is in administration

One company, many brands

That name might not mean a lot to you but they owned and operated some of the most popular and well-known UK holiday businesses along with over 40 hotels located all over the country. 
 
The full list of companies that have ceased trading are:- 

• National Holidays
• Shearings
• UKbreakaways.com
• Caledonian Travel
• Wallace Arnold Travel
• Sportingbreaks.com
• Bay Hotels
• Coast & Country Hotels
• Country Living Hotels

Their escorted tours, short breaks, events and cruises were particularly popular with consumers aged 50 and over who will now be anxious about receiving refunds for trips already booked in the Summer, Autumn and Winter of this year and beyond which have all now been cancelled and won’t be rescheduled.  
 
Some will have financial protection for their bookings either from the Confederation of Passenger Transport, Bonded Coach Holidays, ATOL or ABTA, or through their credit or debit card issuer and they should check their booking details carefully to confirm.
 
The administrators will be contacting them to clarify their positions but in the meantime they can be proactive and do the following depending on which Specialist Leisure Group company they booked with.

• Customers who made package holiday bookings including coach, rail, river cruises or flights or who booked a trip through Wallace Arnold can find more information here.  

• Those that made activity-only bookings, self-drive holidays or made hotel reservations with a Bay Hotel, Coast & Country or Country Living Hotels can click here for advice. 

• Suppliers to the Specialist Leisure Group or anyone with any other questions can contact the administrators using these methods. 

Over 2,200 employees were furloughed but now they and 200 more have been formally made redundant. The administrators will be contacting them shortly. 
 
A spokesperson said: “The group has been significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic as all tours, trips and events have been cancelled and the hotels closed to the public, leading to a significant cash shortfall. 
 
“The directors had been in discussions seeking a buyer for the business as a going concern but despite interest, no viable transaction structure was able to be agreed and as a result the Group was placed into administration. 
 
“We’re making every effort to contact all customers, who’ve had their bookings cancelled as a result of the administrations or COVID-19, with information to assist them in making a claim. They should be assured that claims do not need to be submitted immediately and refunds will continue to be accepted for up to six months.”
 
This is a worrying time for staff at the various companies who will be dealing with the reality of redundancy today along with customers who will be trying to obtain a refund for their purchases made in good faith for holidays that will never be taken. 
 
Large organisations such as the Specialist Leisure Group and their brands have long and deeply embedded supply chains – like roots – among the local communities where their hotels are based, where their holidays went and in the hospitality and other industries that grew up around to support and benefit from them. 
 
They are also going to be negatively impacted by the news but without media coverage or dedicated helplines set up for them. 
 
If you’re a company affected by the administration or even if you have no connection but are worried about your customers and suppliers not reappearing after the lockdown is lifted then get in touch with us today. 
 
We won’t be able to help each individual affected, but if you’re a business owner, our expert advisors are available to talk through your concerns and issues in a free initial consultation so we can better understand the problems you face and their severity. 
 
We can then work together on an effective plan to protect your interests and make sure that when the majority of companies reopen their doors, that you remain amongst them.