Coach company Shearings collapses into administration

Specialist Leisure Group which owns coach company Shearings has collapsed into administration.

Travel trade organisation Abta said more than 64,000 bookings have been cancelled and more than 2,500 jobs lost.

It added that the vast majority were coach package holidays which are financially protected so customers with these bookings will receive a full refund.

John de Vial, Abta’s director of membership and financial services, said: “The Specialist Leisure Group included two of the UK’s best known coach holiday brands, Shearings and National Holidays, two much loved holiday companies who for many years have provided holidays both at home and overseas to a very loyal group of customers.

“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.

“Abta has repeatedly highlighted to the Government the urgency of the situation and the need to set out a coordinated strategy with clearer communication if it wants to help avoid significant job losses and support companies to weather the storm.”