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| Specialist Leisure Group collapses into administration | Specialist Leisure Group collapses into administration |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| About 2,500 jobs have been lost and 64,000 bookings have been cancelled with the collapse into administration of Specialist Leisure Group. | About 2,500 jobs have been lost and 64,000 bookings have been cancelled with the collapse into administration of Specialist Leisure Group. |
| Travel trade organisation Abta said the hotel and travel company had been "significantly impacted" by the coronavirus pandemic. | Travel trade organisation Abta said the hotel and travel company had been "significantly impacted" by the coronavirus pandemic. |
| The company, which has its headquarters in Wigan, specialised in breaks and events for the over 50s. | |
| It struggled to provide thousands of refunds for cancelled trips, Abta said. | It struggled to provide thousands of refunds for cancelled trips, Abta said. |
| It added that the vast majority of cancelled bookings were coach package holidays, which are financially protected. Customers with these bookings will receive a full refund, Abta said. | It added that the vast majority of cancelled bookings were coach package holidays, which are financially protected. Customers with these bookings will receive a full refund, Abta said. |
| The Specialist Leisure Group included well-known coach holiday brands Shearings and National Holidays. | |
| It also operated hotel businesses such as Bay Hotels, Coast and Country Hotels and Country Living Hotels. | |
| 'Particularly sad' | |
| The firm said on its website that all tours, cruises, holidays and hotel breaks had been cancelled and would not be rescheduled, and blamed the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. | |
| John de Vial, Abta's director of membership and financial services, said: "Today is a very sad day for these customers and the thousands of staff who will have lost their jobs. | John de Vial, Abta's director of membership and financial services, said: "Today is a very sad day for these customers and the thousands of staff who will have lost their jobs. |
| "The fact that two such well-known brands with a loyal customer base have had to call in administrators is a stark indication of the pressure that the holiday industry is under as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. | "The fact that two such well-known brands with a loyal customer base have had to call in administrators is a stark indication of the pressure that the holiday industry is under as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. |
| "Abta has repeatedly highlighted to the government the urgency of the situation and the need to set out a co-ordinated strategy with clearer communication if it wants to help avoid significant job losses and support companies to weather the storm." | "Abta has repeatedly highlighted to the government the urgency of the situation and the need to set out a co-ordinated strategy with clearer communication if it wants to help avoid significant job losses and support companies to weather the storm." |
| Atol, the government-run financial protection scheme, said it would be contacting the small number of customers with flight-inclusive packages, which would be protected. | |
| Atol spokesman Andrew McConnell said: "This is a particularly sad day for customers and employees of Shearings Holidays Ltd, a long-standing business and well-known UK travel company." |