Thomas Cook closure

The tour operator is planning to shut as many as 200 lossmaking branches after a £398 million loss for the year to September.

However, a spokesperson for Thomas Cook confirmed that none of the shops in Luton or Dunstable will be affected by this decision.

Thomas Cook is the world’s oldest travel agency and previously planned to close 75 branches, but announced the closure would now be of 200 shops and staff were expected to be informed yesterday.

Thomas Cook blamed the unrest in Egypt and Tunisia and floods in Thailand for hitting sales.