We still have not received money that is owed to us (From Worcester News)

We still have not received money that is owed to us

1:30am Saturday 13th March 2010 in

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STAFF at a troubled hotel claim they have not had a penny paid to them weeks after the doors closed for good.

Nigel Thomas, the former manager of the Foley Arms Hotel in Malvern, said 25 former employees had not seen any money after the owners shut the premises on Friday, Janaury 29.

They could take their old employers Georgian Hotels Malvern to an employment tribunal but the firm preparing to act as administrator of the company told your Worcester News a creditors’ meeting was now scheduled later this month, raising the prospect some money would be paid out in the coming months. Meanwhile, pub giant Wetherspoons could complete a deal to buy the hotel in Worcester Road as early as Monday.

Mr Thomas, who made the national press when he led a dramatic staff sit-in when the closure was first announced in January, said he was “very angry” with the way staff had been treated.

“Staff are still owed money that should have been paid up by now,” he said.

“We’ve been trying to work with the company administrator but the owners are not working with anybody. Now we’ve been forced to look at other ways to secure staff some money.”

Mr Thomas said he thought the town would “regret” the presence of Wetherspoons, a national chain, if it is successful in buying the hotel.

“It will be devastating to a number of other business in Malvern which all put money back into the town,” he said. “Wetherspoons will take money out of the town.”

Mr Thomas said he had registered an interest in buying or running the hotel from current owners Allied Investment Partners, run by Paul Kempin. His son Luke Kempin is director of Georgian Hotels.

Mr Thomas said the process of liquidating Georgian Hotels seemed “chaotic” and left workers with no choice but to go to tribunal. However, insolvency firm Harrison’s in Lincolnshire confirmed letters to creditors, including former staff, had been posted yesterday and a creditors’ meeting would be held in Worcester on Wednesday, March 24.

A company spokesman said: “We’ve been instructed to start placing the company into liquidation, but have not officially been appointed as liquidator as yet.”

Meanwhile, Wetherspoons spokesman Eddy Gershon confirmed the firm planned to redevelop the building and run it as a pub and hotel.