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ABTA gets tough on Cruise Control boss

THE director of failed cruise retailer Cruise Control Paul Moore will be banned from becoming an ABTA member for at least five years and possibly longer under association rules.

A meeting will take place tomorrow (Friday, October 21) in London between liquidators PricewaterhouseCoopers and creditors who are owed at least £8 million. Complete Cruise Solution is understood to be owed £4 million and Royal Caribbean £2 million.

Moore could also face a longer ban than the mandatory five years at the discretion of the ABTA membership committee, the association confirmed.

In the last six years, he has run three other firms, two in the hotel sector, and one in car hire, which all went bust. Cruise Control was the only one which was an ABTA member.

Moore said he did not know what he would do next.

“What I want to do is make sure the loose ends are tied up,” he said. “I’m trying to support those people around me who are obviously very down.”

Cruise Control had 250 staff when it collapsed on October 10. ABTA has confirmed the failure has left it facing just under £5 million in claims, £1.3 million of which is covered by Cruise Control’s ABTA bond.

Greenock-based Geddes Travelcenter managing director David Geddes criticised ABTA for not picking up on Cruise Control’s problems but feared the collapse will not change very much in the industry.

“It would be nice to think we are going back to sensible earnings but we have mastered the art of throwing away our livelihoods in this business and we are working for pennies.”

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