Coach holidays lost as company collapses

A holiday company used by thousands of Black Country people has gone into administration, with coach trips cancelled at the last minute.

McColls of Argyll, which offers coach holidays around the country, has collapsed along with the firm's sister company McColls of Argyll Hotels and Tours.

The company also runs The Brunswick pub, Crankhall Lane, Wednesbury, as well as a 65-bedroom McColls hotel in Dunoon, Argyll, and the 62-bedroom Sherwood hotel in Torquay, Devon.

Five jobs at the pub, along with 55 jobs at hotels, have been left hanging in the balance as administrators try to sell the businesses while continuing to trade. The collapse caused coach holidays to be axed this weekend due to insurance issues.

Jean Turner, of Brookfield Way, Tipton, and Doreen Baker, of Ince Road, Darlaston, paid £84 each to go to Torquay.

Grandmother-of-two Ms Turner, aged 73, said: "I feel disgusted. We were supposed to go on Friday and I got a phone call saying it had been cancelled on Tuesday."

Ms Baker a grandmother-of-one, 71, said: "We paid the full amount two weeks ago."

They also booked to go to Torquay with four friends in October. One, Christine Duffy, 64, of Rowley View, Darlaston, said: "We all paid our £30 deposit. It's a lot of money for pensioners.

"There's nothing on their website saying they've had any problems."

It is uncertain how many have been affected by the collapse but the firm says on its website that 18,000 people travel with it every year.

BDO LLP business restructuring partners, James Stephen and David Hill, have been appointed joint administrators.

Mr Stephen said he was unsure whether cancelled holidays may be rebooked, but said money paid was protected under the Bonded Coach Holiday Scheme.

Ann and David Wilkinson, firm owners for 10 years, apologised to customers saying they tried hard to keep the business running.

They added: "We were only told a few days ago the bank was going to take these actions. The recession has proved impossible.

"It is still a viable business but we failed to get the investment we needed. We personally lost everything."