James Dewar and Alistair McAlinden of advisory and restructuring specialist Interpath were named joint provisional liquidators of Dundee coach operator Fishers Tours on 30 May.
Fishers ceased trading a week earlier on 23 May. All 27 staff have been made redundant. Interpath says that the operator has recently “faced financial challenges amid rising costs but operated with fixed price customer contracts,” which impacted its ability to meet financial obligations.
Upon news of the expected end of Fishers Tours breaking, McGill’s Group moved quickly to offer alternative services, including for private hire customers. It is understood that multiple operators have since been involved in maintaining the home-to-school provision previously delivered by Fishers Tours.
Fishers’ most recent accounts for the year to 30 June 2024 showed a loss of £34,200 on a turnover of £2.30 million. The prior period returned a profit of £77,700 on a turnover of £2.13 million.
The liquidators have advised customers of Fishers Tours who have paid deposits to contact their bank or credit card company. Claims in the liquidation of the business can be made via email.
Speaking about the closure of the business, Mr McAlinden acknowledges that it will have a “devastating impact” on staff, customers and the wider community.
“Regrettably, all bookings and services have been cancelled and customers are advised to seek alternative arrangements and engage with their bank or credit card provider if a deposit has been paid,” he continues.
“As provisional liquidators, our immediate focus is to explore the circumstances of the liquidation and support affected employees to ensure that they have access to the necessary guidance in making claims to the Redundancy Payments Office.”
10 former Fishers Tours coaches are currently subject to internet auction by Sweeney Kincaid, although several are cited in the listings as being non-runners. The liquidators say that Fishers ran a fleet of 18 coaches upon closure.
