Bath travel firm Groupia rescued from administration following acquisition

Bath-based tour operator Groupia, which fell into administration in June after trading for 24 years, has been revived following an acquisition by Funktion Leisure.

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All of Groupia’s brands – including leading stag and hen specialists StagWeb and GoHen – are back online and taking bookings under the new ownership by the Cheshire-based firm.

Groupia Ltd, which also included Groupia Golf, Groupia School Trips and Company Away Days, entered administration on 16th June.

It ceased taking new bookings and arrangements were put in place with the Association of Bonded Travel Organisers Trust to support customers with existing bookings.

Funktion Leisure, the company behind Funktion Events, has retained a third of Groupia’s staff.

Managing director Jay Broughton said: “We acquired GoHen and StagWeb out of administration because they’re two of the strongest names in UK hen and stag travel, with more than 750,000 customers between them since 2002.

“Both are back open and taking bookings, and early demand since the relaunch has been really encouraging, which tells us the appetite for these brands never went away.

“Our focus now is stability: looking after customers, delivering the experience people expect from GoHen and StagWeb, and building on it under an established, ABTA-bonded events group.”

ABTA is the operating name of the Association of British Travel Agents and is the UK’s largest travel association.

Funktion Events has been running group events since 2007, arranging more than 55,000 hen parties and 12,000 stag weekends, alongside thousands of corporate and team-building events.

A statement on the company’s website says: “Good news: Groupia and its brands are now part of Funktion Leisure Ltd, and bookings are open again right across the group.

“For now, it is business as usual, with every brand live and taking bookings.

“Over the coming months we will be investing in the sites and the service, keeping what customers already value and improving the rest. We will share more as those plans take shape.”