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THE Holidays in a Box concept could be revived as a direct and web operation by spring next year, according to the boss of failed parent company Creative Travel Group.

Former managing director Nigel Smith said he aims to salvage the brand and resurrect it as a UK product selling city and theatre breaks and special occasion packages, for events such as Valentine’s and Mother’s Day.

Accountants BDO Stoy Hayward put the company into liquidation last week, but Smith said he was optimistic about starting a new venture.

Smith said: “I did try to persuade the liquidators to keep the company running in administration but they felt it sensible to liquidate and start afresh.”

Smith said he hoped to strike a new deal with its biggest creditor Argos, which pre-purchased £891,000 worth of boxes, but sold only £25,000 worth before CTG folded. Argos continued to track requests for the product – featured in its brochures – through stores and claims it would have sold out of the boxes by now, said Smith.

He is to send a proposal to Argos this week and is looking to set up a call-centre in the Midlands to support a possible deal, subject to liquidator approval.

A quarterly direct mail will continue to be produced, with the next edition appearing in the spring. Smith said he hoped to re-establish its online presence by the end of the year.

The previous operation was dogged by distribution problems because of the high costs of the actual boxes.
Smith said eight staff are continuing to work on a voluntary basis with the company, out of 26 at the time it ceased trading on November 1.

Around £60,000 is owed to other creditors.

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