A reformed coach and self-drive holiday company under the brands Caledonian Travel and UKBreakaways.com is to work with the trade after securing a multi-million-pound launch investment.
New-look parent company Caledonian Leisure is headed by non-executive chairman Gary Speakman as well as managing director Graham Rogers and commercial director Martin Lock.
Product director Carl Brackenbury, finance director David McDonald and IT and digital director Mark Williams comprise the remaining founding shareholders.
It was created with the acquisition of Scottish coach holiday brand Caledonian Travel and self-drive themed short breaks specialist UKBreakaways.com, previously part of Shearings and National Holidays’ parent Specialist Leisure Group, which went into administration in May.
The company is offering short breaks and holidays throughout the UK, Ireland and Europe.
Caledonian Travel will offer departure points throughout Scotland as well as Tyneside, Teesside, East and West Yorkshire.
The company expects customers will be able to holiday with the brands from June or when all government Covid restrictions are lifted.
The firm says it will create an independent trust fund “in the pursuit of industry-leading protection for customers’ money”.
It has been backed by investment firm Mobeus Equity Partners.
Investment director Greg Blin said: “Mobeus is backing an extremely passionate management team which has decades of experience in delivering UK-based, value short breaks to hundreds of thousands of holidaymakers.
“With the pandemic opening customers’ eyes to the enduring appeal of a UK staycation, we believe the business is perfectly positioned to capitalise on the spike in demand as lockdown restrictions are gradually eased and thrive thereafter.”
Rogers said: “It was always our absolute priority to find the right kind of partner for the business and we are delighted to welcome Mobeus on board.
“From the outset the whole Mobeus team bought into our vision for Caledonian Leisure, and we look forward to working together to implement our strategy.”
He added: “The management team at Caledonian Leisure has always recognised the value of developing close working relationships with agents and partners, whose product knowledge and customer service is irreplaceable.
“We are particularly keen to re-establish relationships with agents that have previously worked closely with the Caledonian Leisure management team.”