'We knew jobs would go but it's hard to take'

Staff at a Hull caravan manufacturer say the collapse of the business did not come as a shock to them and shows the difficulties faced by the industry.

Atlas Leisure Homes went into administration on Tuesday with the loss of 180 jobs.

The company, which has built holiday lodges and caravans in the city since 1973, blamed a downturn in the market following the Covid-19 pandemic.

Jack McLaren, 28, who worked as a team leader at the Wiltshire Road site, said the situation had left staff "gutted".

"I've worked here for six years and to see it come to an end like this is unfortunate. We could all see it coming," he said.

"[The job losses weren't] a massive shock but it's upsetting and sad that its happened.

"During the pandemic it was brilliant because the whole caravan industry saw a boom. Since then its slowly dwindled and there's not as much going on.

"The last six months have been very quiet. We've not been at work for over two weeks, but now they've announced the administration we're done, dusted and on to the next thing."

Atlas said it had tried unsuccessfully to attract new investment and had undergone two restructurings in the past two years.

In 2022, the firm posted pre-tax profits of £3m but the following year that figure dropped to £69,000.

The National Caravan Council, a trade body, said the industry had faced a "challenging period" as a result of "economic, operational and consumer-related factors".

A spokesperson said: "The cost-of-living crisis means owners and potential owners of holiday caravans have much reduced disposable incomes and are therefore having to prioritise affordability.

"The price of holiday caravan units has also increased substantially due to significant inflationary pressures, and this is placing further strain on sales."

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