The Shearings brand, as well as that of National Holidays, was feared lost when parent Specialist Leisure Group collapsed on 22 May. It came less than a year after the trade lost the Super Break brand, and has together left a void in domestic coach touring capacity.
However, long-time Shearings competitor Leger, which went toe-to-toe with Shearings for more than 60 years, announced on Tuesday (23 June) its plans to revive the Shearings name.
I’m delighted Leger Holidays will be bringing the iconic Shearings brand back to life and relaunching it as a standalone brand in our escorted tours portfolio," said chief executive Ian Henry.
More to follow.
“We have gone into this deal knowing the two brands already have many synergies - similar product, customer demographic, experience values, impressive repeat business, and customer loyalty.
"As such, we already have the business model in place to seamlessly relaunch Shearings. Leger Holidays has nearly 40 years’ experience in escorted tours, we are not recklessly helicoptering into unknown territory."
Henry said Leger was "particularly keen" to develop Shearings’ UK tours portfolio to boost the businesses overall UK market share. "Post Covid-19, we are predicting an increase in staycations, and will be very quickly launching around 30 new UK tours for 2021 and beyond," he said.
“This deal will not only save the Shearings brand, but will reinforce Leger Holidays’ position as the UK’s largest coach holiday operator.”
Leger will be working with agents on the commissionable sale of Shearings’ tours, and is also open to talks with Shearings’ former suppliers Henry added.
He also stressed Leger and Shearings’ product would be clearly delineated, with Leger placing a greater focus on Europe and Shearings picking up the UK domestic side.
