Hotelier steps in to help couple after Thomas Cook collapse scuppered wedding plans

A Yorkshire hotelier has offered to host the wedding of a couple left devastated after the collapse of Thomas Cook saw their plans cancelled.

Philip Barker, owner and operator of the HRH hotel group, stepped in to help Kirsty Ward and Craig Williams of Sheffield who planned to marry in Cyprus, booking their plans through Thomas Cook.

HRH MD Simon Cotton heard about the couple's case and asked Barker if the group, which owns six hotels, pubs and inns across Yorkshire, could help, to which the owner said "we'll do their wedding for free".

Cotton said: "We're in the travel industry ourselves being hotel operators and it was a sad day to see the end of Thomas Cook as an operator and our sympathies go out to the many staff who have been left not knowing what will happen with their jobs. I'm also in the middle of planning my own wedding for next year and I really felt for this couple who'd spent all this time planning and saving up to then have it all taken away at the last minute and I couldn't help but think we must try to do something and called Philip to let him know of the couple's plight. He's great with things like this and a very generous person so didn't hesitate to want to help out."

Barker added: "The White Hart hotel and Fat Badger pub are well known for hosting incredible weddings. I couldn't bear to see such an amazing event not take place because of something that neither Kirsty or Craig could control. We just had to contact them."

The wedding will take place at HRH's White Hart hotel in Harrogate in October.