David O’Connor and Ian Grier have closed Cromlix House. It’s the second time that the businessmen have failed at this particular business. The two, who bought Cromlix in 2005, under the banner of Alliedfreeze Hotels Ltd, originally ceased trading last year owing in excess of £2.5m, before creating a phoenix company, Shelto Ltd, which has been running Cromlix since. Staff and customers were not given any warning that the hotel was about to cease trading last month, instead a notice was posted onto the company’s website which was dated the 29th February. It said, “Regrettably the hotel was forced to cease trading on 16th February 2012 due to unforeseen circumstances.” It continued, “We very much regret the impact the enforced closure has on all our guests. We are working hard to communicate personally with all parties involved.”
However, customer comments on TripAdvisor suggest the contrary Customers who paid a deposit for weddings in February believed that their deposits were taken, despite the owners knowing that they were planning to close. Diane D of Stenhousemuir said, “They could have let wedding customers know they were closed. Only common decency.”
The original company, Alliedfreeze Hotels Ltd, was served a winding up order by HMRC in 2010, with the company going into administration. Thereafter the Leasehold interest in Cromlix House and the Contract Bookings were transferred to Shelto Ltd. The Director then was listed as Lesley Grier. However, on 15th February 2012, Lesley Grier was replaced with Ian Grier.
Meanwhile Alliedfreeze Ltd, another company run by the Directors Grier and O’Connor, remains listed and has a negative net worth of £423K. It is the company that took the lease on at The Lismore in Glasgow, and as we went to press HMRC had served a winding up petition on this business too.
Alliedfreeze Ltd is currently six months in arrears with its rent at The Lismore and Grier and O’Connor are currently in dispute with landlord Colin Beattie. In fact they tried to transfer the lease of The Lismore, which is currently held by Alliedfreeze Ltd, to a new company Beer Tent Ltd, without the permission of Beattie who owns the building, and who subsequently had to impose a court order on Glasgow Licensing Board to stop them granting the transfer of the licence to Beer Tent Ltd, which has only two directors – Grier and O’Connor.
Colin Beattie voiced his concerns to the DRAM about the “abuse of pre-packs and the lack of integrity displayed by solicitors willing to do the bidding of operator’s intent on wilful mismanagement of the landlord’s property.” The situation is ongoing.
Cromlix House closes
