Sheffield bars make heartwarming offer to Thomas Cook staff after firm collapses

The travel company ceased trading in the early hours of Monday morning after failing to secure a last-minute rescue deal.

Thomas Cook’s demise means around 9,000 UK workers face being out of work and a large number are employed in Sheffield.

There are six Thomas Cook travel agent branches in Sheffield, inlcuding Fargate, Chapeltown, Hillsborough, Bradway, Crystal Peaks and Meadowhall.

Many workers face uncertain futures but two Sheffield nightclubs have made a generous offer to staff.

The Viper Rooms and Crystal Bar have told Thomas Cook staff to show their payslip to employees in exchange for free entry and free drinks.

Viper Rooms posted: “Thomas Cook Airlines UK STAFF! No doubt you all need a drink, you bloody deserve it.

“We’ve got you covered! Bring last months payslip down this weekend and we’ll sort you out FREE entry and some FREE Drinks.

“Also, it may not be your “go to” job choice - but we do have a small number of part time positions available.

“You might just want to use it to fill the gap, we don’t mind. We’ll help where we can, drop us an email if you’re interested [email protected] Team Viper x”

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) launched the UK's largest peacetime repatriation on Monday, bringing 14,700 Thomas Cook customers home on 64 flights.

That was 95% of the holidaymakers who were originally booked to fly home on that day.

A further 135,000 passengers are expected to be brought back on rescue flights over the next 13 days, including 16,800 on 74 flights on Tuesday.

The operation is expected to cost approximately £100 million.