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Skiing Europe/Chris Reynard - Children's ski holiday left in ruins.

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Stephen101, thanks. On Companies House for skiing europe "TOTAL EXEMPTION SMALL" should really have been stated as "DORMANT"

In any case it certainly would be interesting to know a bit more about the trading activity of Skiing Europe.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Companies House Website:

Quote:
Company Type: Private Limited Company
Nature of Business (SIC(03)):
6330 - Travel agencies etc; tourist
7499 - Non-trading company
Accounting Reference Date: 31/01
Last Accounts Made Up To: 31/01/2010 (TOTAL EXEMPTION SMALL)
Next Accounts Due: 31/10/2011
Last Return Made Up To: 02/03/2010
Next Return Due: 30/03/2011 OVERDUE


As of the last Annual Accounts submitted for the year ended 31st Jan 2010 CR was both a director and company secretary of skiing europe ltd. Aslo one other director who has since given up the post. The accounts and last annual return show the paid up share capital of skiing europe ltd to be £2. The last balance sheet submitted in the accounts ending jan 2010 has a share holders funds of £2.

The accounts state the business was non trading.
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 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
The issue of inspection for a 'risk assessment' is an aside to the greater problem but I can see how it will have influenced many teachers to go with SE. Whilst we hear stories of hard working teachers giving up their pitiful number of holiday days to go on free trips, solely for the benefit of the kids, I am sure that they themselves can see how this looks to the average parent.

And how many risk assessment visits are needed? Conditions may change after the first visit.

I would also question how teachers are qualified to conduct a risk assessment visit. Of far greater importance than the number of blue and green runs would be factors such as food hygene standards, up to date fire certificates, CRB status of hotel staff, the driving experience of coach drivers and other administrative matters. All of these could be checked via correspondence with local/resort authorities and direct with the hotels, without the need for staff giving up precious holiday time to go to the resort. The safety of the kids on the snow is delegated to the qualified and experienced instructors who will shepherd them around.

I recall seeing the photo on SE's website next to the inspection visits offer was one of a group in a bar, one playing guitar and all drinking and smiling. It was not one of teachers armed with clipboards, checking the serviceability of a fire escape or the bacteria levels on a stainless steel worktop.

As a non parent, with no financial involvement at all in this, my opinion is that the free skiing trips are a very clever ploy by CR in his plan to book the schools and then fleece them.

These trips are just one of a series of factors that have prevented proper checks being made before parents money was put at risk.

Under the Enterprise Act, Reynard and his wife will be looking at bankruptcy of close to the maximum 15 years for what they have done. That his wife/partner/girlfriend has resigned from the company will not stop the receivers reversing any transactions or loans which were at less than market value, transacted in the previous 8 years. Reynard may think he is clever but in such a high profile case, forensic accountants will strip the skin from his bones in search of the missing money.

That aside, it now needs schools to talk to each other and move quickly to launch legal action for the recovery of their money. The longer they leave it, the less of it will be available for reimbursement. The first step should be an application to the High Court to freeze his assets, pending the claims for reimbursement and damages.
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Hmm. My first acquaintance of skiing was on a school holiday - way back in 1961 - so I am very symapthetic with the concept. Mrs a and my SIL were both teachers - so I am also aware that the teachers on school holidays are not on jollies - indeed my SIL organized and went on ski holidays for her school for many years - and I often marvelled that she did.

Arguing whether teachers have accepted bribes is rather offensive, and loses the focus of this thread - which is presumably to recover funds lost by parents and schools. This seems a lot more to the point:
Quote:
it now needs schools to talk to each other and move quickly to launch legal action for the recovery of their money. The longer they leave it, the less of it will be available for reimbursement. The first step should be an application to the High Court to freeze his assets, pending the claims for reimbursement and damages.


There does seem to have been an awful lot of moaning and contacting media, and too little direct legal action by those actually affected really to achieve something.
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The most worrying thing in salomongeek's post was the following


"skiing europe give you complete free reign once in resort"

Given the history of Reynard's companies giving complete free rein to instructors and the consequences as a result - I wonder if Reynard has actually learnt any thing. Yes the instructors salomongeek is aware of are qualified - but hasn't Reynard inflated the level of qualifications in the past, and even those with qualifications need to be reviewed and checked to see that they are not cutting corners. I wonder if SE's saftey procedures manual which used to be on its webste actaully said that SE gave complete free rein to its instructors once they are in the resort?
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achilles, agreed that teachers on school ski trips are not on jollies, but a day on the slopes even with the responsibility of kids is better than a day in the office wink Inspection trips are jollies though but it seems there aren't any teachers on here honest enough to admit it Little Angel
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Achilles

The schools are in the process of commencing legal action - but as this is a legal process this takes time - you have to serve the demand on Reynard and give hime some chance to respond and then you need to apply for a court judgement. To be honest individual customers of SE doing so would only confuse the issue. What can be done is to push the authorities to take action against Reynard - and for that publicity, contracting trading standards MPs and councillors is useful.
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Stephen101- I agree that this could be conceived as "worrying" however I actually feel that for most of the instructors it was a plus. However for any inexperienced instructors working for Skiing Europe this lack of finite structure could be troublesome.....
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Stephen101 wrote:
The most worrying thing in salomongeek's post was the following


"skiing europe give you complete free reign once in resort"

Given the history of Reynard's companies giving complete free rein to instructors and the consequences as a result - I wonder if Reynard has actually learnt any thing. Yes the instructors salomongeek is aware of are qualified - but hasn't Reynard inflated the level of qualifications in the past, and even those with qualifications need to be reviewed and checked to see that they are not cutting corners. I wonder if SE's saftey procedures manual which used to be on its webste actaully said that SE gave complete free rein to its instructors once they are in the resort?


I think “a free reign” is a little misleading. Each group was allotted a lead instructor, in my case someone who had worked for SE before and in the resort, and the instructor team worked in conjunction with the SE rep, party leader and staff. This mini thread makes it sound like we (the instructors) rare a right bunch on amateurs, not so. As for “cutting corners”, teaching skiing is not a strict A, B, C…. Different things work for different people and a good instructor knows how to adapt his/her lesson plan accordingly. My qualification was checked prior to working for SE and I presume this was true of my colleagues.
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rayscoops, having a go at the teachers may be rattling good fun it that's your thing. But it doesn't get the money back. FWIW, my SIL could perfectly well have had a far more relaxing time skiing with friends, and for her cost was not an issue. Some of us in the family advised her to ditch taking school parties following this incident where there was an accident from another school when some children ignored instruction from their teachers - and the teachers were held to be negligent. Notwithstanding she carried on. I have no doubt her motives were selfless. As I have already said, sniping at teachers is not achieving recovery of funds.
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page 1 of a Google search of "Chris Reynard" now Very Happy
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achilles wrote:
Hmm. My first acquaintance of skiing was on a school holiday - way back in 1961 - so I am very symapthetic with the concept. Mrs a and my SIL were both teachers - so I am also aware that the teachers on school holidays are not on jollies - indeed my SIL organized and went on ski holidays for her school for many years - and I often marvelled that she did.

Arguing whether teachers have accepted bribes is rather offensive, and loses the focus of this thread - which is presumably to recover funds lost by parents and schools. This seems a lot more to the point:
Quote:
it now needs schools to talk to each other and move quickly to launch legal action for the recovery of their money. The longer they leave it, the less of it will be available for reimbursement. The first step should be an application to the High Court to freeze his assets, pending the claims for reimbursement and damages.


There does seem to have been an awful lot of moaning and contacting media, and too little direct legal action by those actually affected really to achieve something.


Great post.

Valid point nonetheless:
bar shaker wrote:
I would also question how teachers are qualified to conduct a risk assessment visit. Of far greater importance than the number of blue and green runs would be factors such as food hygene standards, up to date fire certificates, CRB status of hotel staff, the driving experience of coach drivers and other administrative matters. All of these could be checked via correspondence with local/resort authorities and direct with the hotels, without the need for staff giving up precious holiday time to go to the resort. The safety of the kids on the snow is delegated to the qualified and experienced instructors who will shepherd them around.


I think teachers checking the place out is important if possible, despite some ignorant views on it, but certainly a teacher is not competent to check the whole spectrum of risk assesments required. Hence in my view the point of an approved suppliers list from the council...if the approval process was carried out properly..
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achilles - Basically I find it mildly annoying that teachers/relations of teachers etc are putting teachers up as these faultless saintly figures in it all and that when someone points out that perhaps teachers are somewhat culpable it get translated as 'having a go at them'.

There was an earlier suggestion that teachers could have been a bit more pro-active in assessing whether this company warranted them handing over big sums of money, however the general consensus was that because SE were on approved LA lists that they relied upon this and there was no need to carry out any further due diligence - fair enough - however in contrast it seems that 'free inspection trip' due diligence was worth the effort. Schools have accepted a free trip for a couple of the teachers, accept discounted rates for 'partners' to tag along (year after year) but do not accept any culpable responsibility when all goes tits up, I am sorry but the very same teachers who accepted the perks and signed up the deals and went on the inspection trips and talked to the staff are not completely faultless in all of this.

This may not help any one in getting their money back, but it may help other not lose it in the future.

Also had the first school not actually pulled out of their trip (who decided that ? teachers or LA ?) then maybe SE could have traded through this all (there seems to be some damn good staff employed irrespective of the main man) and the majority might have had their holiday !
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rayscoops,

I think part of the problem stems from the fact that some people (you included maybe) seemingly resent the fact that others may have a good time while performing work duties.
Why should the teacher going to inspect and having a blast while doing it be mutually exclusive. Most people here have admitted teachers on inspection trips have a good time. It doesn't mean they do not also perform some serious duties.. A fact others are struggling with. Double standards? Defo..

I went to the southern US recently, all expenses paid, for a week. It was for work: I had a great trip, plenty of spare time to visit the local area, get some shopping in, fun nights out. It also included quite a few hours of genuine/proper/serious work that needed me there... I'm in the private sector, the supplier needed our visit. No one would bat in eye lid or talk bribe non-sense if I mentionned my "jolly" . Why should it be different for teachers? everybody is allowed some perks..

As for the rest see my previous post. As I see it, in an ideal world the council would create an approved list that would check each company for financials, certificates, health and safety record etc... all the adnministrative cr*p. Then teachers should check companies/resort for suitability to age group/abilities etc...
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rayscoops,
Quote:

Also had the first school not actually pulled out of their trip (who decided that ? teachers or LA ?) then maybe SE could have traded through this all (there seems to be some damn good staff employed irrespective of the main man) and the majority might have had their holiday !


Shocked you think they should have sent a bunch of kids abroad without having named accommodation available? I certainly wouldnt be letting my kid go.

Why does the first College cancelling affect Skiing Europes trading? Chris Reynard didnt lose any money from it - he probably gained quite a few bob as he has all their money but has not paid for accommodation, staff or travel. I think the financial impact will take a while to hit the company as it is only the loss of future bookings that will affect the company.
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Kruisler, if they were required to be accredited suppliers, an audit would be carried out once a year to ensure that the schools and their pupils were getting best value, a risk assessment carried out for the hotels and other properties used, and suppliers required to prove that they were solvent and able to guarantee trips could go ahead. Seems pretty sensible to me, perhaps a few weeks of auditors time visiting the various resorts and operators to protect hundreds of thousands invested by schools and parents every year.

Just to clarify, the schools bought holidays on behalf of pupils and parents from a company that aren't ATOL, ABTA or otherwise bonded, have no accreditation, and run by an individual that has been linked to deaths on previous school trips and was banned from being a company director for 10 years due to his misuse of company money, his failure to pay income tax and national insurance contributions on time and his breaches of trading standards legislation?

Seems utterly barking to me. This whole thing is a great argument for schools and teachers not organising trips and depriving kids of the opportunity to go away and enjoy a sport that many wouldn't have ever considered in a safe environment with their peers. What a disappointing situation to be in. Once again the minority ruin it for the majority.

At some point, the buck has got to stop. It's not like his name isn't plastered all over Ski Europe's website, along with various claims about how bloody wonderful this conman is: http://www.skiing-europe.com/about.htm - which also, interestingly, features details of their insurance through Go Travel, perhaps there is someone you can sue if you want your money back from a cancelled trip. Worth also noting on the same page they offer a snow guarantee - if nothing else you could claim against that because most resorts haven't got any right now for easter trips...
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Also worth noting from their website: "Our firm is, of course, financially bonded with one of the major insurance companies, IGI Insurance (an ABTA provider). This ensures complete financial security for all our clients."

So, perhaps a case to take to ABTA - that said, it may just be another false statement from the company, I'd be interested to see if their premiums are paid...
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 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Monium,

Very valid points but again we're back to the debate of Council approved list/approval process/school reliance on council checks etc... blah blah blah...
I think there's also a lot of judgment by hindsight going on here.. nothing surprising though.

My personal view is that if the council runs an approval scheme, then all the checks you quite rightly mention should be included in the approval audit, so that schools only have to worry about suitability for group/age/abilities/purpose of trip etc.. otherwise, i.e. school performing audit checks as well, it's a wasteful doubling up of checks with tax payers money sent down the drain.
In the OP's case, and with what little information I have, I'd say the council is at fault. That company shouldn't have been approved in the first place.
If there are cases where there is no council list then obviously the schools themselves are at fault.
Or maybe, as perhaps was the case here, the council only performs cursory checks in which case you have to wonder what is the point of the approved list, and if the schools are clearly made aware of which checks are carried out/not carried out...
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Kruisler, all I am saying is that teachers need to accept some responsibility for this, but I do not see any stepping forward to do so or even acknowledge they could have done a little better. If they get a few freebies then fine, I have no problem with that but please do not suggest that an inspection trip is anything but a jolly when I (and two others) have personally been on one with my teacher mate - maybe if those inspection trips were properly managed and pooled the resources on a larger (Local Authority) basis (as Monium suggest above) then perhaps all of this might have been avoided

Shimmy Alcott, many many holidays are based upon accommodation being allocated upon arrival and many many parents accept this for their children. However the school did not know the circumstances (even if SE would/could not confirm the exact name of the accommodation at the time) and it seems from this one incident the entire pack of cards have crashed down. Is there any record of any school on a SE trip being returned to UK because a hotel was not available ? Maybe it is the norm to juggle hotels/payments close to the time and that everything would have been ok, who knows ?

It is a bit like when a rumour starts about a company going bankrupt and people stop doing business with it and it does go bust, whereas if the rumour had not started then maybe the company would have traded out of its difficulties. Even here in UK during the baking crisis Darling basically said that we were a few days away from shutting up shop on some of the main highstreet banks, but we did not and the issue was resolved and life went on.

Perhaps, just perhaps, this thread and the bad press from that one school pulling out their trip (yes, remember, the school cancelled it !) is a major contributing fatctor for the loss of everyone else.
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rayscoops,

with regards to allocated on arrival accomodation, I'm not really sure you can compare a family to a school/group trip..
If something goes wrong, the logistics and legalities of it would somehow be a different level.
I think most parents would be unhappy to send their kids on any group trip if accomodation was unknown to even organisers...
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Kruisler, has SE ever had to return a school trip to Uk because it did not have any accommodation ?
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[b]rayscoops[/] the fact that 14 or so schools have not gone on their trips will not have had financial impact on the company yet, they were all fully paid up. Chris Reynard will so far have MADE money on them cancelling/being cancelled* yet he still has no money to pay people their wages.

*Chris Reynard turned up at a school and said he had no accommodation or transport booked for them and he had no money to book any
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rayscoops wrote:
Kruisler, has SE ever had to return a school trip to Uk because it did not have any accommodation ?


Isn't it beside the point?
Should the TO/School really take the risk to have so many kids without somewhere to sleep?

I got 2 little girls, and while I loathe a lot of the health and safety stuff, no way I'm sending them abroad if people do not know where they'll end up before they start off...

And, IIRC, this whole thing started because the hotel called the school to say no money was paid and accomodation was going to be made available if they didn't pay..
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Rayscoops

You conveniently forget what the law says about package holidays - any tour operator who makes a major change to the holiday arrangements i.e. accomodation, mode of transport, requests extra payments has to offer a full refund of amounts already paid. It is also illegal not provide the parents of under 16s with a forwarding address where they will be staying before leaving the UK. Given that SE failed to comply with the legal requirements - SE in effect cancelled/voided the contracts before the schools made the decision to cancel the trips. If they had decided to let under 16s go on the basis you described they would have also been in breach of the law . The other thing you don't seem to appreciate is that the travel industry takes it money upfront - so the excuses for failure to deliver are pretty weak - and certainly on the scale we are now seeing with SE.

Perhaps you should also read about Reynard's past behaviour (see above) in trading while insolvent and his subsequent disqualification as a director before expressing too much sympathy for his plight.
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Shimmy Alcott, I have no doubt that because of the bad press that many hotels would have basically withdrawn any credit faciities to SE a long time ago, and that SE could not fullfill its obligations without such normal business terms. I have no doubt that those schools who would be booking last month for next year's trip have not done and that it would have a very big impact upon cash flow etc. and that he was not able to pay his bills now for hotels that the kids would be staying in

Kruisler, exactly, a hotel with a vested interest starting a rumour that may or may not have been true. Maybe the hotel was owed money but maybe SE had a genuine dispute with it, seems like the hotel was sort of blackmailing SE to get its money by calling up the school !

Stephen101, SE had not changed anything, its supplier had started a rumour that it would not house the kids and was using brinkmaship to get paid. Perhaps those that booked with SE should have taken your advice and read about Reynard's past behaviour (see above) in trading while insolvent and his subsequent disqualification as a director before giving him their money. I have no sympathy with SE or Reynard but I also dislike this complete abdication of responsibilty when it has all gone tits up by those that arranged the trips and accepted the freebies etc.

Honesty works both ways.
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Looking at the fraudulent trading angle, a question to any party leaders of Skiing Europe trips for this season (or last in fact) Who did you pay? Chris Reynard t/a Skiing Europe or Skiing Europe Ltd. Also what did the receipt say? Information that I have been told starting prior to the Feb 2011 ski trips, indicated that Skiing Europe Ltd has been non trading for a while, last season included. If that is the case and monies were paid to the Ltd company, does it not add to the evidence that Chris Reynard has been using those funds for other purposes (golf course would be a good place to start looking. No its alright the local planning office are already looking into that as there appears to be no permission)
It has been obvious to many working for Skiing Europe, however more this season than any others due to the departure of the European Manager in early February, that next seasons money was paying this seasons bills. But Chris Reynard's expectation that his resort staff bank roll his company has now backfired. Loyalty/professionalism is a 1 way street with that man.
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rayscoops wrote:

Perhaps, just perhaps, this thread and the bad press from that one school pulling out their trip (yes, remember, the school cancelled it !) is a major contributing fatctor for the loss of everyone else.


I've thought about this before and think of course its relevant but with speed of communication/social networking etc think it would be a very unrealistic position to assume that everyone has a moral obligation to refrain from commentary until companies have been given a fair chance to resolve their issues because the reality is where a business is clutching at straws their only hope of trading out is covering past obligations form future income. Don't the people providing the future income have a right not to sustain the pyramid scheme?

Surely better that no-one else pours cash (or their time & efforts) down a black hole (if it is one) and schools (if you take them at their word) avoid the very real risk of hotels legimately shutting the doors on them or being stranded the wrong side of the channel? Sounds like lots of instructors have been victims/complicit in turning a blind eye here too.

Based on the information out there publicly, who'd make a loan to Reynard now, unless it was very heavily secured on valuable personal assets?



Let's also give schools some credit here and assume that they didn't unilaterally cancel trips without giving SE the opportunity to confirm in writing or provide other documentary evidence that arrangements were in fact booked in accordance with their contract.


Last edited by And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports. on Thu 14-04-11 12:44; edited 1 time in total
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Sarah W wrote:
It has been obvious to many working for Skiing Europe, however more this season than any others due to the departure of the European Manager in early February, that next seasons money was paying this seasons bills.


Question for the BASI types? Is there any sort of whistle-blowing obligation bestowed on you as a condition of membership or is it covered in any of your training?
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You know it makes sense.
Quote:

Question for the BASI types? Is there any sort of whistle-blowing obligation bestowed on you as a condition of membership or is it covered in any of your training?


Hi fatbob,
Whistle-blowing in regards to what? Under/unqualified instructors/ski schools? There is certainly nothing written down to that effect and its not really BASI's remit to police ski schools, certainly not ski schools based abroad. SE employ BASI, CSIA, CASI, NZSIA, etc and it's not really any of their responsibility to police ski schools, it's usually down to the local authorities although this is sometimes sadly lacking. The national associations as noted above only licence instructors who pass their examinations/modules.
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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fatbob wrote:
Question for the BASI types? Is there any sort of whistle-blowing obligation bestowed on you as a condition of membership or is it covered in any of your training?


Started to read it but my eyes starts to blur over wink
Although I did get as far as section 3 ??
Not sure, but I got a parking ticket in Verona a few weeks ago, OMG, that's me then. Bye Bye all Little Angel
Mind you I'm not a lawyer so some one is would need to read it

enjoy
http://www.basi.org.uk/docs/BASI_Disciplinary_Procedure_Ver_1-2_200710.pdf
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If I understand things correctly the reason some hotels cancelled/refused to take bookings from Reynard was because in fact they still hadn't been paid for last seasons visits, if that is indeed the case (and it may well not be) then I can't fault the hotels.

rayscoops, as I understand things the school called up the hotel after they discovered there was a problem with the coach company, the hotel then apparently informed them that no booking had been confirmed by Reynard and thus beds the had been sold elsewhere. Reynard then claimed that he had beds at an alternative location and that everything would have been fine however he has never actually said where that location was, (again so far as I'm aware).

Interlaken is a fairly small town with only a limited number of suitable hotels for school parties, I would imagine that all of those hotels know each other and that as soon as payment problems occurred the word would have gone out to the other hotels. Likewise I was horrified to hear that he was apparently taking bookings for Interlaken for Easter this year, given that almost all the lifts in the area shut down last weekend it would have made for a pretty poor skiing holiday in the area, no fault of the resort the opening and closing dates for the lifts are known well in advance, usually most don't open (except for weekends) until the weekend before Christmas and most shut the second weekend in April anyone who knows anything about the ski area could have told you this, indeed many of the Wengen Hotels shut from the middle of April for around a month and then again in the Autumn for at least a month.
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fatbob, AsBasoid, says, BASI is a training and qualification body, and doesn't police employers. The local authority is probably first point of call in that regard if you have concerns.
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Hmmmmm

14 A (4)
http://www.basi.org.uk/docs/BASI_Disciplinary_Procedure_Ver_1-2_200710.pdf
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Wayne wrote:
Hmmmmm

14 A (4)
http://www.basi.org.uk/docs/BASI_Disciplinary_Procedure_Ver_1-2_200710.pdf


Hmmm indeed. And 14 A (5), I know whole ski schools that would be under disciplinary proceedings!!!!
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fatbob I would just like to make it clear that Skiing Europe's temporary staff (instructors & reps) have in no way been complicit in Skiing Europe's trading activity. In previous seasons the school trips have NEVER been affected to the extent of this season, everything the school had paid for was always delivered. It has become apparent that this was largely down to individuals within the company (european manager, UK ops manager, long standing office staff - all of whom do not work for Skiing Europe now) rather than Chris Reynard and only goes to show that the person at fault is Chris Reynard and his lack of morals.
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Rayscoops

The suppliers had not started rumours in order to get paid - they had demanded more money in order to provide the coaches and the hotels said they had cancelled the bookings. What is the source of information for your contention that these were only rumours.
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Sarah W, I doubt if you or anyone else here is in a position to comment on CR's morals. I realise that feelings are quite raw on this one - but this thread is at its best when it sticks to who has lost out, and what can be done effectively. Making allegations beyond that reduces credibility, IMV.
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beanie1 wrote:
fatbob, AsBasoid, says, BASI is a training and qualification body, and doesn't police employers. The local authority is probably first point of call in that regard if you have concerns.


Not suggesting it should be a regulator but was just curious as to whether instructors had a mechanism to report concerns over safety or any other issue which might impact clients or fellow members. It struck me that there seems to have been some sort of "reputation" among professionals (of whatever hue of qualification) for some time. Other bestowers of professional qualifications in other industries serve as a "union" type role as well as governance of members.
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fatbob wrote:
beanie1 wrote:
fatbob, AsBasoid, says, BASI is a training and qualification body, and doesn't police employers. The local authority is probably first point of call in that regard if you have concerns.


Not suggesting it should be a regulator but was just curious as to whether instructors had a mechanism to report concerns over safety or any other issue which might impact clients or fellow members. It struck me that there seems to have been some sort of "reputation" among professionals (of whatever hue of qualification) for some time. Other bestowers of professional qualifications in other industries serve as a "union" type role as well as governance of members.


You make a good point fatbob, unfortunately our industry is not the same. Obviously people do talk to each other. I'm personally considering writing something for the next copy of the BASI News, which is our regular newsletter. There are also these new fangled things like MyFace and Spacebook so word will get round about issues of this magnitude.
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Stephen101 wrote:
Rayscoops The suppliers had not started rumours in order to get paid - they had demanded more money in order to provide the coaches and the hotels said they had cancelled the bookings. What is the source of information for your contention that these were only rumours.


the source was from from above
Kruisler wrote:
And, IIRC, this whole thing started because the hotel called the school to say no money was paid and accomodation was going to be made available if they didn't pay..


No one knows the details of the contracts that were in place with the hotels and bus companies etc., or whether they could even unilaterally cancel them (for example you can not cancel a construction contract - the contract will always exists - but you can determine the employment of the contractor but that takes lots of notice, proving the case etc), in many circumstances parties have an obligation to complete its services (maybe mediate at the time) and sue for recompense afterwards. We simply do not know the circumstances or the legal right of SE's suppliers/contractor's. Actually there seems to be a breach of privvy of contract by SE's suppliers/subcontractors in contacting SE's clients that resulted in the first school pulling out !

All I see on here is a one sided view of it all and from experience I know that is never the case.
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