A holiday package company that specialised in breaks to Scilly and the Channel Islands has ceased trading.
Lancashire-based Preston Holidays has led tour parties to the islands since the 1980s.
They’ve offered inclusive breaks at hotels across the islands including the Bell Rock Hotel, Star Castle and also at Hell Bay Hotel on Bryher.
Atlantic Hotel Manager Neil Moorton says the company regularly booked breaks at his business and it’s hard to assess the financial impact yet, as bookings came through during the season.
But he says some Preston customers have been in touch with the Atlantic to book directly.
Neil says his hotel had a good 2013 season but this shows how fragile the economy is.
Carina Luscombe, manager at Tregarthen’s Hotel, says just three guests were booked at her hotel through Preston last year and they’ve received no 2014 bookings.
That situation is similar at St Mary’s Hall Hotel. Owner Clifford Freeman says the impact on his business will be minimal.
He feels that package operators like Preston used to be the mainstay of the shoulder periods but recently they have provisionally booked a group of rooms, which they couldn’t sell. He’s uncertain whether this is because group holidays have decreased in popularity or whether Scilly is not the right destination for them.
And if that is the case, he asks, “why not?”
Preston Holidays’ website is advising customers with bookings to contact ABTA.