Police have confirmed they are investigating “concerns of a financial nature” in connection with North East travel agency Dawson & Sanderson.
It follows the resignation of the firm’s auditors, Greaves Grindle, in May last year after it emerged the travel specialist’s accounts for the year to the end of August 2020 had been filed without having been audited. The signature of Greaves Grindle partner Jane Harvey appeared to be on the document published at Companies House, but she said she had not signed it.
Dawson & Sanderson called in police when the issue came to light.
Now, Northumbria Police has confirmed it is conducting an investigation at the firm. A spokesperson for the force said: “We can confirm there is an ongoing investigation after concerns of a financial nature were raised by Dawson and Sanderson. Enquiries are ongoing.”
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In a statement, Dawson and Sanderson said it was aware of the police investigation and added: "Following our own internal investigation into the financial accounts we called in the police to review and consider whether there was a case to bring.
“We have been helping the police with their enquiries and will continue to do so. However, we are unable to comment further until the police investigation is concluded.”
In early January, seven months after the issue emerged, amended accounts for Dawson and Sanderson were published and showed operating losses of £2.58m in the 12 months to August 31, 2020 - more than double the amount of £1.15m previously reported. At the time, the travel agency, which is one of the country’s largest independent operators, said the accounts covered a time in which the whole travel industry was beset with pandemic disruption.
Speaking to BusinessLive recently, joint-managing director and finance director Annelene Hutton said the Newcastle-based firm was due to file extended accounts covering the 18-month period from September 2020 to February 2022, by the end of February. That report will also cover a time in which the pandemic posed a serious challenge for the wider travel industry.
In September last year, Dawson and Sanderson said it had undertaken a major restructure to ready itself for post-Covid trading.
New joint managing director Annelene Hutton told BusinessLive that this year’s focus for the the firm would be “stabilisation”. She said trading had recovered across Dawson and Sanderson’s key divisions of corporate travel, foreign currency exchange, retail travel agency and its Longhirst Golf Course ownership with January sales said to be particularly strong thanks to customers “itching to get on holiday”.
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