NEWS
CRUISING FOR CHARITY: Two cruise agencies showcased their backing for charities this week. ROL Cruise made a £20,000 donation to Macmillan Cancer Support, with chief executive Rosie Cairns (left) and managing director Sarah Wikevand presenting the cheque to the charity’s Alex Howe. Meanwhile, Panache Cruises has pledged to raise at least £50,000 for Reuben’s Retreat this year. A group of 18, including founder James Cole and his family, are planning a sponsored climb of Mount Kilimanjaro in June. Additionally, 50 people will hike a local hill in Chorley and the specialist will donate £10 per booking and ask customers to match it. Pictured are three of the employees set to tackle Mount Kilimanjaro: Amelia Clark (left), Olivia Edwards and Henry Livesey.
Baldwins Travel takes legal advice after Abta membership terminated
Ian Taylor
Abta terminated the membership of Baldwins Travel on Monday for a failure “to provide financial information”. The decision by the Abta
Members’ Committee will have been subject to an appeal before being announced. Travel Weekly reported
disappointed by Abta’s actions. We don’t agree there is a legal basis for what Abta has done, but we’re taking legal advice. It would not be appropriate to comment any further.” The termination means
the termination on Monday after a member search revealed: “The company is not an Abta Member.” An Abta spokesperson confirmed:
STORY TOP
“Abta’s Members’ Committee, which comprises Abta members operating in an independent capacity, decided to terminate the membership of Baldwins Travel Agency Ltd with immediate effect after it failed to provide the financial information required of them as an Abta member.” Baldwins Travel director Nick Marks said: “We’re surprised and
travelweekly.co.uk
withdrawal of Abta financial protection for pipeline money on bookings, although existing bookings remain protected. Baldwins would be
able to go elsewhere for bonding, insurance or trust arrangements to replace the lost financial protection.
But this would take time, require provision of financial data and need tour operators to extend credit to the company in the meantime. An industry source said: “Tour
operators will not be covered for bookings taken from the termination date and will take a view.” Baldwins’ membership came close
to being ended late last year, but a decision to terminate it was rescinded
on appeal given certain undertakings. Two directors of Baldwins, finance director Christopher Hatfield and chief commercial officer Dan Shaw, subsequently resigned. Abta’s action comes after Jack
Mason, a Baldwins director until December 2023 and chief executive of parent Inc & Co, was sentenced to 22 months in prison in October for contempt of court having been found guilty in the High Court of breaching three freezing orders obtained by Barclays Bank. Baldwins, based in Tunbridge
Wells and with agencies in Maidstone, Sevenoaks, Tenterden, Uckfield, Westerham, Cranbrook, Haywards Heath, Tonbridge, Lewes and Grantham, was acquired by Inc & Co in September 2021. Inc & Co director David Antrobus
and Scott Dylan – described as a “person of significant control” in Baldwins’ parent group – were sentenced alongside Mason. The
judge found the three engaged in “a joint enterprise” to breach court orders pending a trial of Barclays’ allegations of a conspiracy to make “unauthorised borrowings” of £13.7 million from the bank. The freezing orders prohibited
the disposal of assets including Baldwins. But the High Court found the assets were moved first to a company in the British Virgin Islands and then to one registered in the US state of Delaware. Mason and Antrobus remain
abroad and face arrest and prison on return, with the main proceedings over the missing £13.7 million yet to come to court. Hatfield and Shaw, business
associates of Mason, Antrobus and Dylan, were appointed directors of Baldwins when Inc & Co acquired the company. Shaw stood down in May 2022 but returned in February last year before both resigned in November.
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