Specialist coach operators Isle of Wight Tours and Gardiners NMC Limited have both ceased trading, Bonded Coach Holidays has confirmed.
However, a new company, Gardiners Holidays Limited, has been set up and will trade as Gardiners NMC with a limited programme of tours and day excursions for the remainder of 2020 and a new brochure for 2021 due at the end of October.
IOW Tours celebrated its 30th birthday in 2019 and its website said it had hoped “to look after our customers for another 30”.
But a statement posted on Thursday confirmed it had ceased trading on Wednesday.
The statement said: “We are sorry to announce that IOW Tours Ltd ceased trading on Wednesday, 7 October2020
“We have tried so hard for you, our more than loyal customers, to keep our heads above water. We have worked hard to cancel/postpone/refund what is now nearly 30,000 customers but with over 90% of our trade for the year wiped out by Covid-19 and with cancellations now coming in for 2021, we find we are unable to continue
“Please rest assured that we have financially protected our customers’ money. If you have booked a holiday by coach, or an ‘event style’ break including overnight accommodation, then you are entitled to a full refund of the monies paid for the holiday.
“I.O.W Tours Limited are members of The Confederation of Passenger Transport UK (CPT) and held a bond under the Bonded Coach Holidays scheme (BCH) to protect customer prepayments. BCH have appointed Protect Claims to manage and process refund claims.”
The statement added: “We want to thank you for allowing us to have looked after you, some of our customers have been loyal to us for all 31 years we have been trading.
“We have laughed together, cried together and enjoyed each other’s company over the years, and we are really going to miss each and every one of you.”
Bonded Coach Holidays said details of how customers can make a claim would be posted on its website by close of business on Tuesday, October 13, and urged people not to contact the company by other means.
– This story was updated to confirm the founding of the new operator trading as Gardiners NMC.