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Failed agency’s new owner promises to reimburse customers

A failed east London agency has been taken over by a businessman who has promised to reimburse customers who have lost their forward bookings and holidaymakers who were stranded abroad.

World Choice Travel in High Street, Wanstead suddenly ceased trading on August 29. A small number of holidaymakers abroad were forced to fork out for another flight, while other customers have found their bookings were made incorrectly, or never made at all,

Businessman Wayne Almond has taken over the lease and reopened the agency as Clockhouse Travel. He said: “I wanted to save the business as it is Wanstead’s only travel agency, and it is important to the community.

“I’m taking on the lease and the staff, and will make sure customers are looked after. If people have had to book a new flight home I’m prepared to compensate them for that.”

Almond said he is confident he can restore the good reputation of the agency. “People who lost their holiday are already coming in to book again with us, so they seem to have every faith in us.”

World Choice Travel had its membership of the Worldchoice consortium revoked in January, which means it has not been an ABTA member since then. Almond said he is in process of applying for ABTA membership.

Worldchoice commercial director Bill Pickering said the consortium had reassured all customers with bookings made while the agency was still a member. He said World Choice Travel had not removed Worldchoice signage, despite repeated requests from the consortium.

He said: “All the ingredients are there for a successful business. I hope the new owner can take advantage of the good market and good location. If he does that, and looks after his customers, he will be successful.”

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