failed operator
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• by Charles Young Hauliers owed thousands of pounds by Matthews European, which went into liquidation last year, are angry that its director has now been awarded a new Operators' Licence for his new venture.
The North-East Traffic Area Office confirms that Ken Matthews, the director of Matthews European, had successfully applied for an 0licence for Logic Logistics, trading as Matthews Logistics.
All questions pertaining to previous businesses were answered on the application, but the TAO will not comment further.
Matthews says he told the TAO of his previous failure and thought he was granted the new licence because of his 25 years' of previous trading "without a blemish".
Creditors of Matthews European are annoyed that Matthews has come out of his company failure seemingly unaffected while they have been left out of pocket.
Matthews started his new company almost immediately after the failure of Matthews European in June 1999 (which he blamed on rising diesel prices) as a forwarder using subcontractors. He now runs Matthews Haulage: Hauliers are his own vehicles. Owner-driver David Krynicke, who is owed £10,000, has had to put his house up as collateral. "I know I should be moving on because there's no chance of getting the money," he says. "But it's hard to ignore it when Matthews is obviously still a wealthy man."
Mick Moody of Moody International is owed £5,000. "It's a joke," he says. "How can he get another licence? It's all too easy for limited companies to start up again."
Creditors are still waiting for the full creditor's meeting where they will be able to put their questions to Matthews.
The Leeds office of accountant Ernst & Young, which is dealing with the case, deckled to comment.