Hoverland back in business

Staff at a doomed Black Country coach holiday operator which went into administration have set up a new venture bearing its name, it has emerged.

Coach driver Andrew Court and tour manager Ron Burns have set up the new Hoverland European Holidays Ltd.

The move is a bid to fill the gap in the market left by the company, which ceased trading last month.

When Hoverland European Coach Holidays collapsed earlier this year, hundreds of breaks booked with the Walsall-based company were cancelled.

It's managing director Steve Gouldby blamed his company's demise on the falling value of the pound and the effects of the credit crunch.

Ten workers including Mr Court, aged 45, and Mr Burns, 62, were made redundant.

Now they hope to attract the goodwill of customers, many of whom had travelled with Hoverland year after year to the Continent. But they will have to work the business up again before being able to offer former colleagues their jobs back.

Mr Burns, who escorted holidaymakers for 27 years, said: "We are not the same company, but completely separate. But hopefully we will do the same standard of holidays for local people.

"We want to continue the theme that Steve Gouldby used that people should be part of the family, not part of the crowd on holiday.

"We want to fill the gap that has been left by the departure of Hoverland European Coach Holidays and cater for the people who have become part of the family over the past few years.

"As far as investment is concerned we are investing the rest of our lives in this because we believe it's a very strong product."

Based at temporary premises, the pair will start up the business with mini-cruises to Spain.