The only other bidder to operate the UK share of the Eurostar operation for LCR, Richard Branson's Virgin Rail Group, claimed it was willing to run regional Eurostar services at its own risk, however the company subsequently informed the UK government that it too saw them as economically unviable.
A third party interested in managing the UK segment of the Eurostar service for LCR, Richard Branson's Virgin Rail Group, proposed running regional Eurostar operations at their own risk. However, this company informed the UK government that these services would be financially impractical.