David Urquhart to wind up coach tour business after 'dramatic impact' of coronavirus

David Urquhart Travel say they’ve been forced to wind up their coach tour business due to the “dramatic impact” of the coronavirus crisis.

The company has operated bus trips across Scotland and the rest of the UK for almost four decades, with their vehicles a familiar sight on Highland roads.

But the impact of a summer of cancelled trips, as well as the operational and financial challenge of social distancing has meant the company has found it impossible to determine when they’d be able to get back to normal operations.

A statement from the company said: “The ongoing coronavirus crisis has had a dramatic impact on all business sectors but especially within travel and tourism.

“At present it is impossible to establish when coach tour and hotel operations will return to normal operating capacity.

“The Directors of David Urquhart Travel Ltd have been carefully considering these matters and have made the decision, in the absence of acquisition from interested parties, to wind up the coach tour business in an orderly manner over the next few months.”

An application was lodged by directors with the Court of Session on May 4 to enter David Urquhart Travel Ltd into a Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA).

David Urquhart Travel Ltd – Coach and Tour Operations The ongoing coronavirus crisis has had a dramatic impact on all…

Posted by David Urquhart Travel on Wednesday, 6 May 2020

The company said that customers who had booked trips to travel with the company in the future can be assured that deposits and payments will be returned to them “as soon as possible.”

“We will be in touch with every customer to confirm repayment details to them,” the statement added.

“Please bear with us as we expect that it will take around 2 months to complete all this work.

“We anticipate starting this process on Monday 18th May 2020 and will contact customers whose tours were cancelled in March 2020 working thereafter in date order from that point forward.”

The decision to wind down the coach tour company does not affect David Urquhart Sky Travel Ltd, which provides trips abroad including cruises and city breaks, which will continue as normal.