TWO Bournemouth hotels have closed down after The Specialist Leisure Group went into administration.

The Savoy and The Majestic have shut and all staff in these hotels have been made redundant.

The Specialist Leisure Group owns coach company Shearings as well as Bay Hotels – which looks after The Savoy and The Majestic.

The effects of the coronavirus outbreak forced the company into administration, and the chief executive described the news as “heart-breaking”.

Richard Calvert said: “This is a terribly sad day for employees, customers and commercial partners of the Specialist Leisure Group and its subsidiaries which have entered into administration.

“The effects of Covid-19 on our 117-year old company and the wider travel industry have been devastating.

“In the most trying of circumstances, over these past few months, we have fought tooth and nail to save the group and the jobs of our 2,400 loyal employees serving over 1.1m customers annually.

“It is heart-breaking that the required funding or investment could not be secured to get us through this unprecedented crisis in order to save SLG to and our amazing travel brands.”

Tim Seward, chairman of BH Area Hospitality Association (BAHA), said: “It is sad to see two hotels from the town go into administration from the Specialist Leisure Group as a result of Covid-19.

“It is also sad to see all the staff in these properties being made redundant, some we are aware of had worked at these hotels for a number of years.”

Travel trade organisation Abta said more than 64,000 bookings have been cancelled and more than 2,500 jobs lost.

It added that the vast majority were coach package holidays which are financially protected so customers with these bookings will receive a full refund.

John de Vial, Abta’s director of membership and financial services, said: “The Specialist Leisure Group included two of the UK’s best known coach holiday brands, Shearings and National Holidays. Today is a very sad day for these customers and the thousands of staff who will have lost their jobs.

“Abta has repeatedly highlighted to the Government the urgency of the situation and the need to set out a coordinated strategy with clearer communication if it wants to help avoid significant job losses.”