New company is born out of Tivoli
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by Ian Wylie • The director of collapsed transport company Tivoli has angered owner-drivers and other creditors by setting up a new venture only days after receivers were called in.
According to the receiver, Andy Lee has struck a deal to handle in-house transport for Halo Systems, a Bowater Group subsidiary and former Tivoli client. Cheltenham-based Tivoli went into receivership two weeks ago following the collapse of its sister company, cladding manufacturer Marshall Metalwork, whose debts Tivoli had guaranteed.
Twelve staff drivers lost their jobs, but Lee is understood to have re-employed several drivers to run eight trucks hauling UPVC doors and windows out of Halo's Gloucester and Bolton depots. The move has outraged many of the 30 owner-drivers left out of pocket by the Tivoli collapse. One, thought to be owed around £18,000, has seized one of three Tivoli-owned trucks in protest. Receiver Phil Gorman of Coopers and Lybrand says he has instructed solicitors to seek the return of the "borrowed" truck, and has put Tivoli's remaining vehicles and its freehold premises up for sale.
The eight trucks being used by Lee were also part of the Tivoli fleet, but are leased from finance house Lombard. Gorman says: "1 can understand why creditors are angry, but we have no claim on leased vehicles or any other asset of Mr Lee's new business."
The full extent of Tivoli's debts will not be known until the company directors submit their final statement in August.