Multi-award-winning Wiltshire travel agency Sunshine Travel has blamed the banks and the breakdown of rent negotiations with its landlord for its failure.
The single-store Global Travel Group member was run by Karen Eason, a former winner of a Travel Weekly Agency Excellence Award and Shine young entrepreneur of the year.
The agency said the collapse came as it was “booming”, with forward sales up 22%, but it had experienced a “massive reduction in bank support” that put pressure on rent payments.
Eason was said to be too upset to speak to Travel Weekly but released a statement through her family, who have supported her career.
She said: “I am too upset to comment further, but I have no choice but to cease trading. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the customers, and the wonderful support I have received from Global Travel Group and, of course, my staff. It is really very sad.”
Sunshine Travel was based in the small town of Corsham in the Martingate shopping centre, which prides itself on the diverse range of local businesses it supports.
Eason set up the agency in 2002 as a homeworker shortly after leaving Lunn Poly, which she joined after gaining a degree in leisure and tourism management from Bath Spa University. In 2003 Sunshine Travel opened a shop.
In the statement, Sunshine Travel said the owner of Martingate Centre had unexpectedly ended talks on a renewal of the lease.
Karen’s father Simon said the agency had fallen slightly into rent arrears, but that it had reduced bank borrowing from £80,000 to just £5,000 and was on track to wipe that out by the spring.
He said Karen, who is now considering her future in the industry, had been expecting to have a further meeting with the landlord before the end of the year.
Travel Weekly was unable to contact anyone at the Martingate Centre for comment.