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Hundreds in Pembrokeshire affected by Thomas Cook collapse

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OVER 100 people from Pembrokeshire have been adversely affected by the collapse of Britain’s oldest travel firm.

Founded in Market Harborough in 1841 by businessman Thomas Cook, the company organised railway outings for members of the local temperance movement. 178 years later, it had grown to a huge global travel group, with annual sales of £9bn, 19 million customers a year and 22,000 staff operating in 16 countries.
But all that came to an end on Monday (Sept 23), the Civil Aviation Authority announced that Thomas Cook was to cease trading.

Brian Hancock, who works in advertising sales at this newspaper, and his partner Emily were due to fly out today for a holiday of a lifetime in Mexico, but they arrived at the airport just hours after their tour operator was put into administration.

Brett Beasley and Julie Cassley from Milford Haven were due to fly to Benidorm on Saturday, September 28, for 10 nights flying from Luton. They paid over £2000 for their first time abroad.

Brett said he ‘feels let down’ by the customer service and ‘should have prepared customers for the outcome’.

Brian and Emily Hancock from Johnston have had their two week Mexico holiday cancelled as they arrived to check in

Sian James was due to fly on Thursday (Sept 26) the flight has been cancelled. She also told me that travel agencies have been pushing their prices up. She was due to go to Lara beach in

Antalya Turkey for eight nights with her partner and three children. She said she is “gutted”.

Sian told The Herald: “Lucky my boss is understanding, and we can go a bit later. Also, lucky my partner is off until October 30. We have a few commitments we will have to sacrifice by changing dates”

Gemma Richards is with her boyfriend in Greece, she has been told to pay £165 per night to stay in a hotel “fuming I came here to have a relax after stressful time to be made more stressed and poorly.”

Lisa Fee said: “We were due to fly to Turkey on Thursday. Trying to book another holiday today so we can still go.”

Laura Bowditch said that she had a holiday booked for May next year. She said: “Feel sorry for all the staff that have lost their jobs, but this was my dream holiday. God knows how long
it will take to get a refund to book another one”

Rebecca Singh said: “My childminder went abroad with them, due back tomorrow morning. Have already informed my workplace that I might not be back in work Wednesday if she isn’t home, without her, there’s no one for my son so I can’t work. It’s a shame these people lost their jobs especially the length this company has been going for over 100 years.”

Jennie Blair said: “I’m actually in Turkey due to fly back to Cardiff today. We must vacate our room at 12pm and still don’t have a flight confirmation to get home. We have been advised not to go to the airport until a flight is confirmed but that then leaves us with no room.”

The modern Thomas Cook was in stark contrast to what the company used to be. The firm’s fate was sealed by a number of factors including financial, social and even meteorological issues.
As well as weather issues – a super hot summer meaning people were more likely to have a staycation – and stiff competition from online travel agents and low-cost airlines, there were other disruptive factors, including political unrest around the world and many holidaymakers had become used to putting together their own holidays and not using travel agents’ package deals.

In May, Thomas Cook reported a £1.5bn loss for the first half of its financial year, with £1.1bn of the loss caused by the decision to write down the value of My Travel, the business it merged with in 2007.

It is believed that Brexit was also a key factor in the disruptions with customer bookings as they awaited the fate of their country’s travel policies.

The airline company was then forced to be put up for sale in the hope that they could attain some much-needed funds to keep the company afloat. Surprisingly, the airline company had seemed to have acquired a deal with Chinese company Fosun but the creditor banks issued a last-minute demand that the company find an extra £200m which proved too costly in the end to find a solution for Thomas Cook.

The Government was asked for a bailout of £250m, which was denied. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said this on the Today programme: “I fear it would have kept them afloat for a very short period of time and then we would have been back in the position of needing to repatriate people in any case. The company’s large debts and High Street-focused business made it a poor candidate for survival”

The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said the company had “ceased trading with immediate effect” and it has also triggered the biggest ever peacetime repatriation, aimed at bringing more than 150,000 British holidaymakers’ home.
The tour operator’s failure puts 22,000 jobs at risk worldwide, including 9,000 in the UK and about 10 from Pembrokeshire.

Passengers arriving at airports for flights were given this handout

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Police ask motorists to avoid A44 trunk road due to heavy snowfall

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DYFED-POWYS POLICE have issued an appeal to motorists to avoid a 25 mile section of the A44 trunk road between Aberystwyth and Llangurig due to it being impassable due to heavy snowfall.

In a warning issued at 4am on their social media accounts the police said: “Please avoid the area and find alternative routes for your journey.”

Meanwhile, last night The Nags Head in Lampeter uploaded pictures of the snowy scenes in the area, and were encouraging customers to come in and sit next to their ‘nice warm fire’.

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Egg and farm shop to open at award-winning west Wales farm

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A SCHEME for a self-serve egg and farm shop at an award-winning 32,000-chicken Ceredigion farm, to allow it to receive a UK Shared Prosperity fund grant, has been approved by county planners.

Ben Edkins, of Edkins Eggs, Coed Farm, Cilcennin sought permission to site a self-serve farm shop on an existing yard area at the site.

A supporting letter submitted through agent Morgan & Flynn Architectural Services described it as “a more advanced version of an egg stand, with honesty box, which has been a staple for people producing eggs for centuries”.

It added: “This method of selling eggs has already proven to be a hit with communities in Ceredigion, given the success of the already established egg dispenser located in Aberystwyth town centre.”

Family-owned Edkins Eggs, which supplies multiple businesses across the area with eggs, including Aberaeron’s Y Seler, Hive, Harbourmaster, and Costcutters, has been awarded a grant to cover the cost of part of the proposal, on the condition that planning approval is granted, the statement added.

“The grant, which is a UK shared prosperity fund for the Mid Wales region as part of the ‘Cynnal Y Cardi Fund’ provided by Ceredigion County Council was granted in December 2023.

“For this grant to be claimed, it is required that planning permission is granted, the construction is completed and also the egg dispensers are implemented by December 2024. This gives the applicants a 12-month window from the point of the grant awarded to completion of proposal.”
The building itself will include a solar panel array providing the power for the egg dispensing unit and lighting, and it is hoped to create one extra job at 227-acre Coed Farm, home to 32,000 chickens producing free range eggs, 90 beef cattle and 200 sheep.

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A green infrastructure statement by the agent added: “The creation of this building to house the self-serve farm shop to enhance the established family-owned business ‘Edkins Eggs’, which also has provisions to allow for other local companies producing items such as vegetables and honey to sell their products, will provide a facility for the local community to purchase locally produced goods directly from the supplier.

“This will not only provide an enhanced shopping experience in terms of being able to purchase directly from the farm, which could act as an educational benefit especially for children, but also provide the additional facility of a small-scale shop to the local area, whereas currently the community would either have to travel to the service centres of either Aberaeron or Felinfach.”

The application was conditionally approved under delegated powers.

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John Singer Sargent’s ‘Fashion & Swagger’ to light up the Torch

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IN an unparalleled celebration of one of the late 19th century’s most revered portrait artists, the Torch Theatre is set to host “John Singer Sargent – Fashion & Swagger” on Tuesday, 16 April, at 7:30 pm. This innovative exhibition, brought to life by Exhibition on Screen, delves into the remarkable artistry of John Singer Sargent, whose portraits are celebrated for their intricate depiction of his subjects’ persona, attire, and the subtleties of their presentation.

The event promises an insightful exploration of Sargent’s influence on modern art, culture, and fashion, featuring interviews with a diverse group of curators, contemporary fashion icons, and style influencers. Filmed at prestigious venues like the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and Tate Britain in London, the exhibition unveils Sargent’s extraordinary ability to capture the essence of his subjects’ identities, social standings, and the complexities of gender through his art during a pivotal time of cultural transformation.

Phil Grabsky, one of the producers behind this compelling film, shared his enthusiasm for spotlighting Sargent’s genius, stating, “As filmmakers, both director David Bickerstaff and I have been thrilled to make this film about Sargent, someone I consider a truly astounding artist.” Grabsky further reflected on the curious case of Sargent’s fading recognition despite his once-celebrated status and affirmed Exhibition on Screen’s commitment to revitalizing interest in artists who deserve renewed attention.

The exhibition promises a fascinating juxtaposition of over 50 of Sargent’s paintings with authentic items of clothing and accessories donned by his subjects, offering audiences a unique passage into the artist’s creative realm. It underscores how Sargent’s subjects, often hailing from affluent backgrounds, entrusted him with their public images — a theme that resonates with the ongoing dialogue around the construction of identity in the public eye.

Tickets for “John Singer Sargent – Fashion & Swagger” are available for £13. Those interested can secure their spots by visiting www.torchtheatre.co.uk or contacting the Box Office at 01646 695267.

For further details and imagery, or to arrange press inquiries, please reach out to Anwen Francis (Marketing, Press & Communications) via email at [email protected] or phone at 07854 772640.

ENDS

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