High-Flying Norwich Ski Travel Firm Founded by Lord's Son, Branson's Ex-Instructor Enters Liquidation

Norwich-based ski travel startup SkiYodl has officially entered liquidation, marking a dramatic end to a business launched with high-profile backing and ambitious expansion plans across Europe's major Alpine resorts.

Liquidators were appointed to the firm on Wednesday, July 22.

High-Profile Roots and A-List Clients

SkiYodl was co-founded by Oliver Dannatt—the son of Lord Richard Dannatt, former head of the British Army, and Lady Philippa Dannatt, the Lord-Lieutenant of Norfolk—alongside business partner Simon Latarche.

Before founding the travel platform, Mr. Dannatt worked as a former shipping broker at ICAP before taking on a role as an in-house ski instructor at The Lodge, Sir Richard Branson’s exclusive mountain retreat in Verbier, Switzerland. During his four years teaching the Virgin founder, Mr. Dannatt built an enviable client list that included celebrity chef Jamie Oliver, model Claudia Schiffer, and the late Chelsea footballer Gianluca Vialli.

Dannatt, who formerly worked as a shipping broker at London firm Icap, first had the idea for SkiYodl when returning to London with his wife Chloe in 2012. SkiYodl secured seed funding in early 2020, allowing it to launch the platform in Verbier — only for the pandemic to hit six weeks later.

The initial idea for SkiYodl struck Mr. Dannatt while returning to London with his wife, Chloe, in 2012. The platform was designed around self-catered chalets and apartments, using a bespoke app dubbed a "pocket concierge" to manage everything from ski passes, hire, and transfers to local restaurant and nightlife recommendations.

A Turbulent Timeline

Despite strong investor interest and celebrity backing, the business faced near-constant headwinds from travel restrictions and pandemic disruptions shortly after its initial launch.

• First Spark 2012 Oliver Dannatt conceives the idea for SkiYodl while returning to London.

• Seed Launch & COVID Hit Early 2020 Secures seed funding and launches in Verbier, Switzerland—only for global COVID-19 lockdowns to strike six weeks later.

• Crowdfund Success January 2021 Raises over £770,000 from 450 investors via Crowdcube in a £750,000 target expansion round, backed publicly by TV presenter Jake Humphrey.

• Omicron Freeze Late 2021 Operations hit another pause as the Omicron variant triggers fresh European travel restrictions.

• Brief Rebound Early 2022 Rebounds strongly as French borders reopen, generating £500,000 in bookings within three months.

• Liquidation July 2026 Official appointment of liquidators closes the book on the Norwich-based travel business.

Despite raising over £770,000 from hundreds of retail investors and briefly generating half a million pounds in bookings during early 2022, the company was ultimately unable to navigate the cumulative toll of repeated travel freezes and financial pressures.