Author-WILLIAM TURVILL, HOLLY BANCROFT AND JONATHAN BUCKS FOR THE MAIL ON SUNDAY and HENRY MARTIN and TIM STICKINGS FOR MAILONLINE
British holidaymakers say they are being ‘held hostage’ in a Tunisian hotel which is refusing to let them out over fears Thomas Cook will go bust.
Security guards at the Les Orangers beach resort near Tunis were keeping the gates shut last night while hotel staff demanded money over fears they would not be paid, guests said.
Many tourists refused to cough up as they have already paid Thomas Cook for the holiday, leading to a stand-off.
‘We can’t leave the hotel. I’d describe it as exactly the same as being held hostage,’ said Ryan Farmer from Leicestershire.
Another customer, Dean Williams, told MailOnline the hotel has ‘taken it upon themselves to charge the customers as they haven’t been paid by Thomas Cook’.
Mr Williams said the hotel had switched the WiFi off and a coach had arrived at 8.20pm to take guests to the airport but the hotel would not permit them to collect passengers.
Today the Foreign Secretary promised that Brits will not be left stranded abroad if Thomas Cook collapses but thousands more face an anxious wait over future holidays, including expensive wedding plans.
Today company bosses are holding urgent talks with shareholders and creditors in the City in a bid to stop Britain’s oldest travel firm going bust.
Thomas Cook needs £200million on top of the £900million rescue deal agreed last month and is now hoping for an unlikely government bailout.
