A DEVASTATED Worcester bride-to-be has had to rely on the generosity of businesses after the sudden collapse of a travel company.

Emily Jaques had booked her hen weekend through Brilliant Weekends but was shocked to discover the firm had closed down.

Miss Jaques was due to spend this weekend in a cottage near Bath, enjoying a luxury spa day, three-course dinner and VIP night out, with nine friends.

“We were shocked and disgusted,” said 30-year-old Miss Jaques.

“Many of us have paid for this weekend on debit cards.

“You only get one hen party and you want everything to be just right. I think they have behaved really badly.

“They must have known when they took our money that this might happen.”

Thankfully, a friend has managed to persuade all the businesses in question – the cottage, spa, restaurant, and club – to keep their booking, despite not being paid by Brilliant Weekends.

It means the hen weekend can go ahead as planned and the girls will not have to pay extra.

The group had all paid £250 in advance for the weekend, and risked being £2,500 out of pocket. “It is very wrong.

“They should not have demanded the money from us if they had doubts about the company staying in business,” Miss Jaques said.

The former Kings school student and her fiance, 34-year-old Neil Collins, have recently moved back to the city and live in Barbourne, Worcester.

They were both born in Worcester and have known each other for the last 14 years.

On Saturday, November 1, they will tie the knot at Sudeley Castle before jetting off for a honeymoon in South Africa.

“We are just keeping our fingers crossed that nothing goes wrong with the wedding and honeymoon itself,” she said.

A message on Brilliant Weekend’s website, posted on Thursday, September 4, says: “We regret to inform you that Brilliant Weekends Ltd has ceased trading with immediate effect. The office is now closed.”

It goes on to say: “We sincerely apologise for the distress and inconvenience caused by this matter and thank all of our loyal customers and hard-working staff over the past six years.”