p4 News Jan15 13/1/10 20:26 Page 4
news
15.01.2010
Sales still suffer
E-Clear creditors:
from cold snap
roll call lengthens
BAD WEATHER continued to hit
sales in the mass market this
week as one retail chain re-
Chris Gray.
PwC maintains that E-Clear owes Globespan
ported business down by up to CONTROVERSIAL credit card payment company £35 million, but Gregory Banner, QC for E-Clear,
20%. E-Clear owes money to YouTravel and Deutsche told the court it disputed the figure.
Midlands Co-op Travel gen- Bank, it emerged this week. Banner said E-Clear maintained it had claims
eral manager Ken Smith (pic- More details of E-Clear’s debts were revealed against Globespan for more than £35 million that
tured) said winter sales were at a High Court hearing when a judge ordered the it would have to refund customers for holidays
down 20% year-on-year and company to produce evidence of how much that were not delivered or were unsatisfactory.
summer down 13%. However, money it is holding by today or face being put He added other creditors of E-Clear, including
he said average selling prices into administration on Tuesday. Deutsche Bank, opposed putting E-Clear into
were up 10%, boosting earnings. Mr Justice Floyd made the order after hearing administration.
Many customers were visiting shops, asking that E-Clear also owed money to YouTravel, Speaking after the case, Youtravel director
prices and then walking away, but they were Deutsche Bank, and had offered to pay off debt Paul Riches said the company was owed
unlikely to find cheaper deals later as operators to Swimming Nature Licensing Ltd if it opposed £150,000 by E-Clear, but was switching to Barclays.
and agents were determined to hold on to attempts to put E-Clear into administration.
margins, he said. He asked for evidence after Globespan admin-
Smith said he believed his shops were in line istrators PricewaterhouseCoopers said they had E-Clear: The creditors
with other retail chains in the volume market. repeatedly tried and failed to get anything from Globespan: PwC claims this is £35 million –
Julia Lo Bue-Said, Advantage leisure director E-Clear chief executive Elias Elia. £22 million from customers who have flown or
said the overall market in the second week of Simon Mortimore QC told the court the case who paid by debit card, and £13.5 million from
January was down 9%, but Advantage performed had exposed clear issues of public interest as customers yet to fly. E-Clear says it can claim
at up 3% for package business for the summer. online payment “aggregators” such as E-Clear more than £35 million against Globespan to
Worldchoice operations director Bill Pickering were not regulated but E-Clear was handing fees cover refunds. PwC says this “lacks credibility”.
said the snow had clearly affected bookings. of £778 million, according to its last accounts. Deutsche Bank and Sunwing:
“Everyone is behind, even if they say they He said there was concern that a UK-based Both owed substantial amounts
aren’t, particularly on the high street. However, company handling that amount of money should YouTravel: £150,000
there have been lots of phone bookings coming in.” be completely under the control of one man, Go Travel Direct: £260,000
Pickering added that half of the bookings in Elia, who was listed as resident in Cyprus.
the last week were for holidays to be taken in the
next 10 weeks.
Paul Riches, sales and marketing director of
Youtravel, said it was trading about 15% up year-
Trade urged to help Haiti quake victims
on-year.
Meanwhile, agents at Planet Cruise in Peters- THE Dominican Republic’s tourism board has earthquake was felt in some areas but caused
field suffered a traumatic 14 hours after being called on the UK travel trade to help support the no damage.
stranded in the worst snow the area had seen for victims of the earthquake in neighbouring Haiti. US-based Choice Hotels had announced at the
years – but still recorded the best trading day of UK spokeswoman Esther Smith said the CHTA marketplace this week that it was opening
the year so far. 7.0-magnitude earthquake, which hit the Haitian a Comfort Inn and luxury Ascent Collection hotel
Staff at the East Hampshire cruise specialist capital of Port-au-Prince on Tuesday and killed in Haiti, and was first brand to return to the coun-
call centre were forced to find accommodation thousands, had not affected the Dominican try for 10 years. A Choice Hotels spokeswoman said
at local houses after the snow falls meant they Republic, which is on the same Caribbean island it did not yet know if the hotels were affected.
were unable to get home from work. as Haiti.
Dominican Republic-based inbound tour ■ Anyone who can lend support to the victims
■ Cruise wave season: buoyant prices, p16 operator Palmera Destination Services said the of Haiti should email esp@esthersmith.biz
04 15.01.2010
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