FORMER Thomas Cook workers left “RIP” flowers outside a closed-down branch with a message suggesting the firm’s “money, money, money” culture killed customers.
The emotionally charged message appeared on social media yesterday after a bunch of flowers was left outside a Thomas Cook store in Enfield, London.
The message reads: “RIP Thomas Cook. From all the exceptionally hard working, throwaway former job loving staff of yesteryear.
“Your downfall? It’s not all about the money money money. Good business recognises good people matter too.
“Just ask the Shepherd and Cooper families, long serving experienced management circa 2013, Going places, Airtours, Co-op Travel.”
Bobby and Christi Shepherd, from Horbury, West Yorkshire, were aged six and seven respectively when they were killed by a gas leak from a faulty boiler at a Thomas Cook hotel in Greece in 2006.
A subsequent inquiry revealed that Thomas Cook had “breached their duty of care” following the children’s deaths and that parts of the business was putting profits ahead of customers’ needs.
John and Susan Cooper from Burnley, Lancashire, also died at a Thomas Cook resort in 2018 after apparently contracting E.coli while on holiday in Egypt.
Thomas Cook confirmed high levels of E.coli in the food at the hotel but a subsequent British inquiry could not attribute blame after Egyptian authorities failed to provide crucial documents.
The RIP flowers in Enfield were spotted by 44-year-old local Carlos Northon Flores, who took to Facebook to share the images.
He posted the photos with the caption: “Flowers left outside Thomas Cook in Enfield town.”
The pictures prompted an equally harsh criticism from social media users.
Catherine Gordon said: “Thieves.”
Robin Plummer added: “Thomas Cook had circa 600 Travel Agent shops. Ask yourself this question. When was the last time you walked into a travel agent and booked your holiday? A businesses model that had not moved with the times.”
And Harry El S said: “Thomas Crooks”
Speaking today, Carlos said: “It was really sad to see actually. It did feel like someone died with the shop empty and all those people losing their jobs.”
