Business as usual, Club Riviera says

THE Office of Fair Trading has revoked the consumer credit licence of Club Riviera, the timeshare company based in Manchester.

The Independent revealed last week that Club Riviera had decided not to defend the action brought by the OFT to withdraw its licence and those of its associated companies.

Simon Clarke, sales and marketing director of Club Riviera, said the revocation of the licence 'makes no difference whatsoever' and that it was 'business as usual'.

Sir Bryan Carsberg, Director-General of Fair Trading, said there had been a 'stream of complaints' and the companies had made no response to a notice he had sent them three weeks previously that he was minded to revoke their licences.

The complaints included allegations that Club Riveria had made misleading statements about the accommodation, and that it had threatened repossession with little or no warning.

Club Riviera has more than 20,000 owners on the Costa del Sol and on the Canary Islands.