This week in: Featuring The Travel Trust Association, Maureen Hill and Travelux

• revealed it was working on a proposal for a dedicated trust fund to protect bed banks and agents in the event of a failure. It followed Abta's decision to force bed bank members to assume liability in the event of an agency failure.

• in Cumbria was back in business hours after floods forced owner Paul Cusack to evacuate his shop. The phones and computer system were diverted so staff could work from home.

• The said it had a "strong chance” of having the not-guilty verdict in the Travel Republic case overturned in the High Court, while  members were warned not to start operating outside Atol on the back of the case.

• , which had 35 branches in the northeast, 300 homeworkers and 160 members, said it was looking at potential acquisitions for 2010.

•  planned talks with to persuade the operator to increase payment levels. With discounts likely to reach 15%, Cook needed more commission for its shops to offer that level of discount.

•  director Keith Webber and partner Neil Thompson lost the UK franchise for the agency chain after their company went into liquidation, while insolvent agents won a reprieve from to retain membership if they returned balance sheets to the black before submitting accounts.

• Columnist recounted how a client who paid an extra £40 for an package was not impressed when told the champagne was sparkling wine and extras included fruit. "The brochure says Gold is for people who appreciate the best – I don't think a bottle of Pomagne and a couple of bananas fit the description, do you?” he said.

• announced a campaign to promote the reserve fund scheme on holiday protection once the shape of government legislation was clear.

• Meanwhile, most major retailers adopted a wait-and-see attitude to 's moneyback guarantee scheme, although two, and , said their clients would get money back if an operator failed. Cook took out an ad in Travelnews to explain its guarantee.

• Agency chain , owned by and with branches in Wembley, Hatch End and Isleworth, ceased trading.

• Creditors were told the total liabilities of could total £27 million, but assets were unlikely to top £3.6 million.

•  was poised to re-enter the market with a programme to Spain, Morocco, Yugoslavia and Italy targeting 55,000 holidaymakers for 1975.