Customers who think they may be owned money by Zulu Travel Services Ltd have now been encouraged by the Insolvency Service to come forward.

The High Court of Justice in Manchester has appointed an official receiver to take over the company’s affairs and to identify any assets it may have to make any possible returns to the travel firm’s creditors. 

The agency, which had business addresses registered in Birkenhead, Chester, Manchester and London, was wound up last month. 

An Insolvency Service investigation found that agency’s sole director Darren Anderson was already banned from running a company for 15 years – the maximum length of disqualification – under a previous name of Timothy Ahlbeck. His ban had started in April 2021. 

Driving licence records suggest Anderson had earlier been known by two other names – Timothy Richard Skelding and Miles Prestland-Windsor.

Anderson failed to provide relevant documents to investigators, who found the company had held a bank account between November and December 2022, but the account had no transactions. 

The investigation also found Zulu Travel Services booked holiday accommodation on several occasions in which Anderson had stayed as a guest, and then failed to pay the bills. 

The agency claimed to sell flights, hotels and holidays through its website, which displayed both the Abta and Atol protection logos. However, it had been ineligible for Abta membership and in March last year, the trade association requested it to cease using its logo. 

Zulu Travel Services continued to use an Atol logo despite there being no evidence that it had one.

Investigators found Anderson had made three attempts to get an Atol licence for the company and had not declared he was a disqualified director as part of the application.

Zulu filed accounts with Companies House for the period from October 2022 to October 2023 showing current assets of £1,307,400 and shareholder funds of £3,408,400, but investigators weren’t able to verify whether these accounts were accurate. 

They added the full scale, financial details and nature of Zulu Travel Services business – and the losses incurred by its customers and suppliers – remains unknown.

David Usher, chief investigator at the Insolvency Service, said: "Zulu Travel Services was engaged in trading practices which totally disregarded business rules and regulations.  

"It left other businesses out of pocket after using their services and misled members of the public, who could have bought holidays that they believed were Atol protected.  

"We are pleased this company has now been removed to protect the public and advise those who might be owed any money by the company to contact the official receiver." 

Enquiries concerning the affairs of the company should be made to the Official Receiver of the Public Interest Unit: 16th Floor, 1 Westfield Avenue, Stratford, London E20 1HZ. Alternatively, anyone wishing to make contact should email piu.or@insolvency.gov.uk