PGL: School travel company cuts jobs across UK

Jobs are also set to go from the PGL headquarters in Ross-on-Wye

A specialist school travel company has announced 670 job losses, cutting the workforce by a quarter.

PGL hosts children at residential activity centres across the UK, but has had to cancel visits during the coronavirus crisis.

The jobs are set to be shed from several of its sites including at offices in Blackpool and Hertfordshire.

Jobs are also set to go at its headquarters in Ross-on-Wye.

The company, named after the firm's founder Peter Gordon Lawrence, said the Covid-19 pandemic had adversely affected its business.

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In a statement, the company said: "The Covid-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on our business and has resulted in 34 colleagues at our Ross-on-Wye head office being made redundant, representing 16% of our Ross-based workforce.

"As we conclude a further consultation process, a further 636 colleagues have been made redundant across the PGL Group, representing a 25% reduction in our total workforce; this includes colleagues based in our Blackpool and Hertfordshire offices and in our centre operations across the UK."

Earlier this year, as the firm cancelled its activities due to the coronavirus pandemic, it was criticised by parents who were upset at being offered credit notes instead of refund.

A spokesman for the firm at the time, told the BBC it was offering either flexible rebooking arrangements or a refund credit note "in line with ABTA guidance".