The owner of one of Northumberland’s top hotels - which also operates a number of coach holiday firms - has gone bust with the loss of around 2,500 jobs.
Specialist Leisure Group - which owned the George Hotel at Chollerford, plus coach companies National Holidays, Shearings and Wallace Arnold - has been placed into administration after suffering a huge drop in demand.
Travel trade organisation Abta said more than 64,000 bookings have been cancelled, the majority of which are coach package holidays which are financially protected.
Customers with bookings will receive their money back. Administrators EY said they would be trying to write to all affected customers, with information on the company’s website - www.specialistleisuregroup.com - giving information on how to claim refunds.
Holiday companies affected include Specialist Leisure Group, Shearings, National Holidays Tours, Wallace Arnold Travel and UK Breakaways. The company also owns a number of hotel chains, including Bay Hotels, Coast & Country Hotels and Country Living Hotels.
Joint administrator Sam Woodward 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 of the group have been in discussions with a number of parties, seeking a going concern buyer for the business. Unfortunately, despite interest in the group as a whole and in parts, no viable transaction structure was able to be agreed and, as a result, the group was placed into administration.”
More than 2,200 staff had been furloughed at the company, but 2,460 redundancies have now been announced. Around 70 employees will initially be retained to assist the Administrators in disposing of the assets and winding down the business.
Mr Woodward added: “Our immediate priority is to advise and support those employees and customers that have been impacted by the group’s insolvency.
“We are making every effort to contact all customers, who have had their bookings cancelled as a result of the administrations or COVID-19, with information to assist them in making a claim. Customers should be assured that claims do not need to be submitted immediately and refunds will continue to be accepted for up to six months.
“We will also be seeking to realise the remaining assets of the group’s business for the benefit of creditors and we are therefore seeking offers from interested parties.”
Specialist Leisure owned hotels at:
Bay Dilkhusa Grand Hotel, Ilfracombe
Bay Carlton Hotel, Great Yarmouth
Bay Prince of Wales Hotel, Berkeley
Bay Great Western Hotel, Oban
Bay Highland Hotel, Strathpeffer
Bay Royal Whitby Hotel, Whitby
Bay Tarbet Hotel, Loch Lomond
Bay Broadway Park Hotel, Sandown
Bay Marina Hotel, Newquay
Bay Majestic Bournemouth Hotel, Bournemouth
Bay Eden Arms Hotel, Rushyford
Bay Majestic Eastbourne Hotel, Eastbourne
Bay Grand Hotel, Exmouth
Bay Marine Hotel, Llandudno
Bay Royal Weymouth Hotel, Weymouth
Bay Caledonian Hotel, Fort William
Bay New Southlands Hotel, Scarborough
Bay Libertys Hotel, Blackpool
Bay Norbreck Hotel, Scarborough
Bay Torbay Hotel, Torquay
Bay Esplanade Hotel, Paignton
Bay St Ives Bay Hotel, St Ives
Bay Tor Park Hotel, Torquay
Bay Waverley Castle Hotel, Melrose
Bay Burlington Hotel, Eastbourne
Bay County Hotel, Llandudno
Bay Valley of Rocks Hotel, Lynton
Bay Beresford Hotel, Newquay
Bay Strathmore Hotel, Morecambe
Bay Savoy Hotel, Bournemouth
Bay Grand Atlantic Hotel, Weston-super-Mare
The George Hotel, Chollerford
The Imperial Exmouth Hotel, Exmouth
The Golden Lion, Hunstanton
The Derwentwater Hotel, Keswick
The Pitlochry Hydro Hotel, Pitlochry
The Portpatrick Hotel, Portpatrick
The Ship & Castle Hotel, St Mawes
The Charlecote Pheasant, Stratford upon Avon
The Imperial Tenby, Tenby
The Grand Atlantic, Weston-super-Mare
The Windermere Hotel, Windermere
Country Living Lansdown Grove, Bath
Country Living St George, Harrogate
