Latest news with #AlanClark
Scoop
01-07-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Trade Me And Stuff Group Announce Deal Completion
Trade Me Property and Motoring debut on the country's largest New Zealand website for the first time today, marking the formal completion of the deal between the two highly successful Kiwi brands. As announced earlier this month, Trade Me has taken a 50% stake in Stuff Digital, bringing together the largest digital news audience with the leading property, motors, jobs and marketplace portal. 'This is just the beginning of a bold new partnership focused on growth and having a tangible, positive impact on the lives of New Zealanders,' Stuff Digital's Acting Managing Director, Ben Haywood says. 'Today marks the start of where the real work begins, as we look to combine our strengths and lead new directions in the experiences, products and content New Zealanders love best.' Trade Me's Head of Property Alan Clark says while today is a significant milestone for connecting even more New Zealanders with the insights they need to navigate life's big milestones, it is just the start of what Trade Me's investment will mean for New Zealanders. 'Our first focus is on generating the highest quality property market insights and rich content - together empowering Kiwi to feel confident on their property journey,' he says. 'But what today also marks is the start of a powerful new chapter where two of the most trusted brands in Aotearoa are collaborating for the benefit of our audiences, partners, and Kiwi across the motu.' About Stuff Group Stuff connects with around 3.4 million Kiwis every month across its major businesses, delivering quality news, content and experiences that help make Aotearoa a better place. Stuff Digital has unrivalled reach across the nation through number one news website and homegrown social network Neighbourly. Stuff Masthead Publishing connects with audiences through subscriber-led digital and printed metropolitan, regional and community publications, as well as a range of much-loved consumer magazines. Stuff Brand Connections arms advertisers and partners with a comprehensive range of cross-media advertising and Stuff Events solutions. About Trade Me Limited Trade Me is the largest online marketplace and classified site in Aotearoa. For 26 years it has been the place Kiwi look first to buy and sell across property, motors, jobs and marketplace with over 1.5 million Kiwi visiting Trade Me every month.
Daily Record
17-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Record
Travel firm collapses leaving Brits fuming 'go cheap, pay twice' with many holidays ruined
Great Little Escapes has lost its ATOL licence, meaning some holidaymakers could be left out of pocket A leading UK travel firm has collapsed after losing a vital accreditation, causing widespread concern among holidaymakers facing cancellations. Customers disgruntled by the loss of another affordable travel option expressed disdain, suggesting that opting for budget can lead to paying more in the end, remarking: "Go cheap, pay twice." Great Little Escapes, a Berkshire-based agency offering a range of holiday options from "adventure holidays to relaxing spa holidays, beach holidays to city breaks, adults-only to fun-filled family resorts", found itself stripped of its ATOL protection. It's important to note that this company is not connected to the similarly titled Great Little Breaks and shares no link with them. The tried-and-tested guidance for holiday bookings is to use credit cards to protect your money should the underlying business collapse. Despite this, over 100 UK travellers might be left empty-handed as they risk their booked foreign vacations being scrapped after Great Little Escapes lost its ATOL accreditation. Expressing sympathy yet a sense of inevitability, one upset customer mentioned: "Feel sorry for those who will lose their holidays, but then again, they clearly took their chances to get a cheap deal." They continued: "Not ATOL protected and if they didn't pay by credit card, then no way to get the money back." Following the company's slide into insolvency, the relevant authorities are now advising prospective customers to delay lodging any claims while further details of Great Little Escapes' operations are investigated. The authority has issued explicit guidance for travel agents linked with Great Little Escapes LLP, stating, "If you are a travel agent of Great Little Escapes LLP and you are currently holding consumer payments which you have not yet paid to Great Little Escapes LLP, you must not use these funds to refund consumers until you have received instructions from the Air Travel Trust. "Travel agents will be individually contacted by the CAA with specific instructions for these bookings." The sudden downfall of yet another travel firm is likely to shake the confidence of holidaymakers hunting for bargain getaways. Echoing this sentiment, one netizen recommended caution, suggesting some travellers may be "Better off booking with the big travel agents. More expensive, but.." This grim announcement arrives hot on the heels of another distressing revelation just a month prior when a different UK travel enterprise faced its demise, impacting countless travellers' vacation plans. Jetline Travel, a London-based entity founded in 2000 and also known as Jetline Cruise's parent company, ceased its operations as an ATOL holder the previous month. TTG reported the business has now gone into administration. Alan Clark of Carter Clark financial recovery specialists and Neil Bennett from the insolvency experts at Leonard Curtis were appointed administrators on 28 March. Administration is a procedure that transpires when a company can no longer fulfil its debt commitments, resulting in the appointment of a licensed insolvency practitioner. This expert will either reorganise the business and negotiate with creditors, or liquidate assets, settle debts and dissolve the business. In its 25 years of service, Jetline Travel has facilitated holidays for hundreds of thousands of travellers. Over this quarter-century, the firm also operated under various other monikers including Bargain Late Holidays, Best Priced Holidays, Cruise and More, Elegant Getaways, Our Best Holidays and Save on Sun.
North Wales Live
16-06-2025
- Business
- North Wales Live
Brits face holiday turmoil as travel company loses licence
A travel firm has lost a key licence, which could leave large numbers of customers facing cancelled summer holidays. Great Little Escapes has lost its ATOL licence, leaving holidaymakers in limbo. The Sandhurst-based firm was known for offering a diverse range of holidays from adventure trips to spa retreats and family resorts but is no longer an ATOL holder. The company is different from and not connected in any way to Great Little Breaks, reports the Mirror. The Civil Aviation Authority said in a statement: "The company based in Sandhurst, Berkshire traded under the names Your Holidays, Great Little Escapes, Tunisia First and websites and "We are currently collating information from the company and will update this page as soon as possible. While waiting for further information, please do not submit a claim as these will be rejected. "If you are a travel agent of Great Little Escapes LLP and you are currently holding consumer payments which you have not yet paid to Great Little Escapes LLP, you must not use these funds to refund consumers until you have received instructions from the Air Travel Trust. "Travel agents will be individually contacted by the CAA with specific instructions for these bookings." The news came in the month after a separate British travel firm went bust. Sign up for the North Wales Live newsletter sent twice daily to your inbox Jetline Travel, a London-based firm established in 2000 and the parent company of Jetline Cruise, ceased trading as an ATOL holder in March. It has now entered administration, as reported by TTG. Alan Clark from financial recovery specialist Carter Clark, and Neil Bennett from restructuring and insolvency firm Leonard Curtis, were appointed on 28 March. Administration is a process that occurs when a business can no longer meet its debt obligations, leading to a licensed insolvency practitioner being appointed to either restructure the business and negotiate with creditors, or to sell off assets, pay off creditors and liquidate the business. Over its 25 years of operation, Jetline Travel took hundreds of thousands of people on holidays. During this quarter of a century, the firm also traded under several other names including Bargain Late Holidays, Best Priced Holidays, Cruise and More, Elegant Getaways, Our Best Holidays and Save on Sun.
Daily Mirror
16-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Mirror
Huge number of Brits face holiday chaos as travel firm loses license
A UK-based travel firm has lost a key license, leaving huge numbers of customers facing cancelled holidays this summer. Great Little Escapes, based in Sandhurst in Berkshire, used to specialise in "adventure holidays to relaxing spa holidays, beach holidays to city breaks, adults-only to fun-filled family resorts". However, it has now ceased as an ATOL holder. The company is different from and not connected in any way to Great Little Breaks. A notice from the Civil Aviation Authority said: 'The company based in Sandhurst, Berkshire traded under the names Your Holidays, Great Little Escapes, Tunisia First and websites and 'We are currently collating information from the company and will update this page as soon as possible. While waiting for further information, please do not submit a claim as these will be rejected. 'If you are a travel agent of Great Little Escapes LLP and you are currently holding consumer payments which you have not yet paid to Great Little Escapes LLP, you must not use these funds to refund consumers until you have received instructions from the Air Travel Trust. 'Travel agents will be individually contacted by the CAA with specific instructions for these bookings.' The news came in the month after a separate British travel firm went bust. Jetline Travel, a London-based company established in 2000 and parent company of Jetline Cruise, ceased trading as an ATOL holder in March. Now it has been taken into administration, according to TTG. It reported that Alan Clark, of financial recovery specialist Carter Clark, and Neil Bennett, of restructuring and insolvency firm Leonard Curtis, were appointed on 28 March. Administration occurs when a business can no longer meet its debt obligations, leading to a licensed insolvency practitioner to be appointed to either restructure the business and come to an arrangement with creditors, or to sell off assets, pay off creditors and liquidate the business. Jetline Travel took hundreds of thousands of people on holidays over its 25 years trading. In that quarter of a century the firm also traded under several other names including Bargain Late Holidays, Best Priced Holidays, Cruise and More, Elegant Getaways, Our Best Holidays and Save on Sun. The Mirror has attempted to contact Great Little Escapes for comment.
RTÉ News
06-06-2025
- Business
- RTÉ News
Unions seek new owner for Wellman International in Cavan
Unions representing workers at Wellman International in Mullagh, Co Cavan have said that a new owner for the company must be found amid fears of job cuts at the manufacturing and recycling business. The firm, which employs 215 people, filed a petition with the High Court on Tuesday to place its operation in Mullagh into examinership. Three unions, SIPTU, Unite and Connect, met workers in recent days and will be engaging with the examiner next week. They are calling on the Government to intervene to find an alternative owner for the factory. The company manufactures recycled polyester fibres from used plastic materials that have a wide variety of industrial uses, including in the automotive, home, leisure and hygiene sectors. However, Wellman said the business has suffered losses in the double-digit millions in 2023 and 2024, resulting from increased energy prices following "geopolitical conflicts and fierce competition from low-priced imports from China, Africa and Middle East". As a result, its parent company, Indorama Ventures, has withdrew its support. SIPTU Organiser Alan Clark said the announcement by the company earlier this week was a "body blow" to the local community. "Wellman have been an established employer in Mullagh, Co Cavan, for over 50 years so SIPTU is calling on the Government to intervene and protect as many jobs as possible," Mr Clark said. "The reality is that any job losses will have a major impact not only on our members but the local community. "SIPTU is calling on all local public representatives to put their shoulders to the wheel and work with the IDA to support these workers in securing a prospective purchaser or investor in order to protect the long term security of employment in the area." Unite Regional Officer Michael O'Brien said: "The workers are very clear that the plant can be turned around if the majority of plastic recyclables currently being exported was instead processed locally. "This plant can play a critical role in helping Ireland meet our EU plastics recycling targets and must not be allowed to close by default. "When we meet the examiner next week, Unite will be stressing that the expertise and experience of the workforce must be harnessed to maximise the chances of finding a buyer and preserving these vital jobs and skills," Mr O'Brien added. Connect National Construction Official Tom Faulkner said that any job losses would also have a "devastating" impact on the local community. "We are calling on the government to ensure that all relevant agencies work together with the examiner to secure a new investor in order to safeguard the 217 jobs and the future of the plant going forward." Wellman International began operations in Mullagh in March 1973. The site, which was acquired by Indorama Ventures in 2011, is the largest European producer of recycled polyester fibres. Indorama Ventures is listed in Thailand and is a petrochemicals producer, with a global manufacturing footprint across Europe, Africa, Americas, and Asia Pacific. The Cavan-based arm of the company carries out manufacturing in Ireland but principally does its business in the rest of Europe.
