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High-profile agent ceases trading
A travel agency owned by Sandy Murray, the well-known organiser of the annual ABTA Yorkshire Ball, has ceased trading after 20 years.
ABTA confirmed that Sandy Travel, based in Normanton, Wakefield, had gone out of business. The one-shop agency had specialised in cruise and long-haul holidays.
An ABTA spokesman said it was working with Sandy Travel "to ensure holidays can still go ahead with minimum inconvenience to customers".
A message on the ABTA website informed customers that bookings had been passed to the tour operator and would not be affected.
However, it added: "In some exceptional circumstances there may be a problem, so you must contact the tour operator to confirm your booking."
The spokesman said this was a standard term used in all retail failures and was intended to ensure customers were in contact with their tour operators in case they need to be informed of matters such as a flight change.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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