Barwell Travel failure update
Barwell Travel has cancelled holidays for customers booked to travel up until today after it failed to find a buyer for the business.
In an updated statment on its website, the operator said it could not fulfil its obligations to these customers and has had to cancel their trips.
“The position regarding departures due on or after Wednesday 7 May 2008 remain uncertain,” it said.
The Surrey-based operator, which specialised in package holidays and flights to La Manga, suspended trading at the end of last week after 38 years, partly blaming the current credit crisis.
“During the past few months, the company has been in serious negotiations with numerous interested tour operators and investors with a view to concluding either a trade sale or inward investment,” says the statement.
“It is deeply regretted, partially due to the current credit crisis, that management were unable to get one of those deals concluded prior to the expiry of the current ATOL license.
“As a consequence, the directors took the decision to protect the company’s affairs by seeking the appointment of administrators to the company.”
Geoffrey Bouchier and Paul Clark of Menzies Corporate Restructuring have been appointed joint administrators and are currently evaluating Barwell’s financial position and prospects.
A spokesman for Menzies said an update was expected by Wednesday morning.
The CAA said there are a small number of holidaymakers currently abroad and an estimated 300 with bookings who are yet to travel.
Barwell Travel held ATOL licence 2146 until it lapsed at the end of March 2008 and provided a £663,525 bond to the CAA, which will be used to protect customers.
Administrators are in the process of providing the CAA and ABTA with all passengers names and addresses and booking details.
Customers wishing to discuss the situation with Barwell Travel are advised to call 0208 786 3000.
Barwell Leisure trades under the names ‘The Barwell Collection’, ‘Golf Groups Direct’, ‘La Manga Tennis’, ‘Barwell Events’, ‘Barwell European Classic Resorts’, ‘Barwell Events & Sports Travel’ and ‘Footballers’ Golf Classic’.
It principally sold package holidays and flights to La Manga in Spain.
By:Bev Fearis
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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