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Epsom Explore And Warners Holidays
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I am really getting frustrated. I tried booking a weekend break with Warners, a couple of weeks ago, l had problems on website so have been ringing them. After 15 minutes someone comes on the line to say they can’t help (!) but someone else will ring me back within two hours, no one rings me back so weekend break not booked. I have sent two emails without reply. I have today been ringing Epsom Explore coach holidays to try to book another holiday, a recorded voice says all lines are busy and to try later, which l have done all morning without success. They don’t have a website yet! Sent a message but no one has rung me back. How do these companies make money?? Just out of curiosity, if I manage to book with Epsom and they go bust (they have been taken over twice recently), would l get my money back?
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>>> " . . . if I manage to book with Epsom and they go bust . . . , would l get my money back?"
I see no reference here to ABTA membership, or anything similar, so the answer to your question might well be 'No'!
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(However you can take out an insurance policy to cover you for cancellation for any reason).
91% of reviewers for Grand UK Holidays rate them as 'Excellent' or 'Great' on TrustPilot:
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They've got pick-up points across Surrey. (Addlestone, Banstead, Camberley, Caterham, Cobham, Dorking, Epson, Ewell, Farnham, Godalming, Guildford, Horley, Leatherhead, Oxted, Redhill, Reigate, Staines, Walton-on-Thames and Woking).
They have a range of 7-day holidays to Ireland (using overnight stops in Scotland outbound and return).
Although they're also not ABTA members, they offer an insurance policy (through ERGO Insurance) that would protect your money, apart from a £60 excess, if they went bust (as well as covering you for loss of your personal effects and medical cover, etc):
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(I started typing out some info for Shearings but, having just seen that 50% of TrustPilot reviewers rate them as 'Bad', with a further 9% rating them as 'Poor', I've decided to delete it!)
>>> " . . . if I manage to book with Epsom and they go bust . . . , would l get my money back?"
I see no reference here to ABTA membership, or anything similar, so the answer to your question might well be 'No'!
https:/
(However you can take out an insurance policy to cover you for cancellation for any reason).
91% of reviewers for Grand UK Holidays rate them as 'Excellent' or 'Great' on TrustPilot:
https:/
They've got pick-up points across Surrey. (Addlestone, Banstead, Camberley, Caterham, Cobham, Dorking, Epson, Ewell, Farnham, Godalming, Guildford, Horley, Leatherhead, Oxted, Redhill, Reigate, Staines, Walton-on-Thames and Woking).
They have a range of 7-day holidays to Ireland (using overnight stops in Scotland outbound and return).
Although they're also not ABTA members, they offer an insurance policy (through ERGO Insurance) that would protect your money, apart from a £60 excess, if they went bust (as well as covering you for loss of your personal effects and medical cover, etc):
https:/
(I started typing out some info for Shearings but, having just seen that 50% of TrustPilot reviewers rate them as 'Bad', with a further 9% rating them as 'Poor', I've decided to delete it!)
Shearings went bust during 2020 - my relative managed to recoup most of her lost holiday cost via her Barclay Card but it took ages as thousands were affected.
Grand UK are based in Norwich and as a result I have a little local knowledge. They struggled during the lockdown and reduced their property portfolio and staffing. If they are not ABTA then I wouldn’t risk it.
Keep looking Chris or go back to Warners Smurf.
Grand UK are based in Norwich and as a result I have a little local knowledge. They struggled during the lockdown and reduced their property portfolio and staffing. If they are not ABTA then I wouldn’t risk it.
Keep looking Chris or go back to Warners Smurf.
^^^ The Shearings brand name has now been bought by Leger Holidays, so customers who book Shearings' holidays are now actually booking with Leger. I wouldn't expect the change of ownership to make much difference though!
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I'm sure that all travel firms will have struggled quite a lot over the past two years. Grand UK will probably be as good as any other company if you take out insurance that covers the possibility of them going bust.
Around a third (31%) of Warners' customers rate their experiences as 'Bad' or 'Poor' on TrustPilot:
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(To be fair though, those reviews do include all of the company's operations. There don't seem to be any independent reviews specifically for their 'Leisure Breaks' coach division).
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I'm sure that all travel firms will have struggled quite a lot over the past two years. Grand UK will probably be as good as any other company if you take out insurance that covers the possibility of them going bust.
Around a third (31%) of Warners' customers rate their experiences as 'Bad' or 'Poor' on TrustPilot:
https:/
(To be fair though, those reviews do include all of the company's operations. There don't seem to be any independent reviews specifically for their 'Leisure Breaks' coach division).
There seem to be hardly any independent reviews for Epsom Explore. (The few that are on Google are all positive but they seem to only be for day trips). They've only been in business since 2017 and I suspect that they might have just started off in the day trip business and have only recently moved into becoming a holiday operator. (That could be bad news, because of their lack of experience in the field, or it could be good news, because of a determination to impress).
If their 'nature of business', as declared to Companies House, is correct though, you'd certainly be in for an exciting journey ;-)
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If their 'nature of business', as declared to Companies House, is correct though, you'd certainly be in for an exciting journey ;-)
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Grand UK is less about them going bust and more about the low quality of holiday. Check reviews for the hotels they use such as the Grand Burstin in Folkestone which is also home to those in need of emergency housing; or the Nelson in Hreat Yarmouth which has in fact been closed since Jan 2020 and sits untouched with it’s Christmas decs still up!
^^^ I've never worked out why people knock the Grand Burstin. I've had several different places in Folkestone booked for me (by the the travel survey firm I contract for) when I've worked there and the Grand Burstin was by far the best. The room was clean, spacious and well-fitted, the bed was one of the comfiest I've slept in and the breakfasts were amazing! (OK, it's self-service, which some people don't seem to like, but you can have as much as you want and go back as many times as you want. Everything is beautifully cooked and there's loads of choice, with loads of fresh fruit, yogurts and cereals available too). Although I didn't take advantage of it, there was a discounted bar and free live entertainment every evening too.
Many of the interviews I was carrying out there were conducted just down the road from the hotel, so I met lots of people who were on coach holidays there (with National Holidays though, not with Grand UK). Every one of them had nothing but praise for the Grand Burstin.
(I know what you mean about the Nelson in Great Yarmouth though!)
Many of the interviews I was carrying out there were conducted just down the road from the hotel, so I met lots of people who were on coach holidays there (with National Holidays though, not with Grand UK). Every one of them had nothing but praise for the Grand Burstin.
(I know what you mean about the Nelson in Great Yarmouth though!)
Hello Smurfchops. Here at Epsom Explore we offer a Quality Coach Travel Holiday and Day Tour experience. As has been pointed out we are a relatively new business starting mid Covid and expanding at a sensible rate. Just because we are new though doesn’t mean we lack experience as has been suggested. All 4 principles have extensive experience in travel with the Managing Director having been in the Coach Holiday business for over 30 years and operates Londons oldest coach company . Because we are a new Company we do not have fancy call centres , unfortunately at times the lines will be busy, afternoons are the best times. I don’t know if you managed to book with us , I certainly hope so. As for security , please refer to our web site www.epsomexplore.co.uk and it’s fully transparent there. If you need a call back you can contact us by e mail [email protected] or through Facebook.
Travelling with Epsom Explore holidays not only supports a local company but you get personal service from Door to Door pick ups and one central collection point , No feeders , no complicated interchanges .. just turn up at your front door and we will do the rest. Our holidays are mainly fully escorted. For that extra personal service enjoy the Epsom Explore Experience
Travelling with Epsom Explore holidays not only supports a local company but you get personal service from Door to Door pick ups and one central collection point , No feeders , no complicated interchanges .. just turn up at your front door and we will do the rest. Our holidays are mainly fully escorted. For that extra personal service enjoy the Epsom Explore Experience
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