downsmail.co.uk


News Debts fail to sink dining barge


FLOATING restaurant The Barge closed owing Maidstone Council more than £12,000 – only to be re- opened by the same directors under a new name.


The RiverMedway landmark, which first began trading in central Maidstone in 2010, shut in 2013 but returned later that year with a similar layout and offering under the new name Embankments. The council is now


set to write off the pre- vious company’s debts of £12,059.31, incurred during three financial years, because “the company has gone into liquidation. There are no funds to pay creditors”. Aliquidatorwas ap- pointed to voluntary wind up The Barge Ltd in October 2013. Associated documents


state that the company had debts of £455,313. The same three directors of The Barge Ltd –


James Bailey, KeithWarren and Lisa Voice – are directors of Chasecroft Ltd, which trades as Em- bankments Restaurant. This company was set up in October 2013 and


received payments of £1,466 from Maidstone Council connected to the Kentish Deli Café at Maidstone Museum. This is operated by Crofthold Ltd, whose directors includeMrBailey and Ms Voice. “Most of the payments are for the hire of the


café at the museum and the purchase of food for externally hosted events. The council re-charges


Ann Cooper


ANNGillian Cooper (74) lived in Loose for 52 years and in the Maidstone area for her whole life. BornAnn Ellison, the daughter of baker Frank Ellison, in Headcorn, she pursued a nursing career, spending 50 years in the profession. Ann trained at Maidstone’s old Ophthalmic Hospital andwent on towork at theWest Kent


Hospital in Marsham Street before moving to the then new hospital in Barming, where sheworked as a theatre sister andwas involved in pioneeringwork with the hospital’s leading surgeons.


or Maidstone Council is because the moneyowed to the bank was over and above the value of the property.” The council spokesman added: “When limited companies go into liquidation the shareholders’ responsibilities are limited to the amount of any unsold shares in the company. The council and other creditors have no legal powers to directly recover money owed to them.” MrBailey (pictured) says he has lost £180,000 of


these costs to the event organisers,” a council spokesman said. Mr Bailey correctly points out that he has acted lawfully regarding TheBarge, which had adebt of £129,349 to Natwest. He told the Downs Mail: “The company had major problems and had to be wound up on the basis that we owed the bank a hell of a lot of money. “We have done everything properly and within


the law. We went through proper insolvency practitioners, who told us that we needed to set up a new company to trade again. “The restaurant itself was owned by the bank


and not by us.As directorswe have personal loan guarantees. The bank has allowed us to carry on trading under a new company name to pay back the moneywe owe them. “The reason there is no money to pay creditors


his own money in running the vessel. “The old company failed because the overheads, such as staffing costs,were too high,” he said. “In this to- tally different company we have looked at the whole business and reduced a lot of the over- heads. We are doing better than we did before whenwe got in this mess, butwe have still got a hell of a lot of money to repay in a short space of time. “Iwould not wish this on anyone. I have had to


keepmyheadupand drive forward through very, very difficult times. I amleft with a debt I didn’t have before. “Thousands of people have struggled through


the recession and it is only through my tenacity that I am still here. My family has gone through the ropes but I can hold my head up high. “We are currently paying rates to Maidstone Council under the new company.” Council officers have recommended writing off £273,273 in rates owed by 17 businesses, who in- clude clothes retailer Madhouse (£12,059) and leather luggage seller Boros (£29,337).


Ann finished herworking life at the Alexandra Hospital in Chatham. Shewas married for 40 years to Raymond “Spencer” Cooper, whoworked for the gas board. The couplewere very keen gardeners who planted hanging baskets to give to others. They raised children Ruth and Bryan. Son-in-law Kevin said: “My mother-in-law had a strongwork ethic and very professional standards. She could be relied on as a child carer just as much as she could be relied on as a nurse.With Spencer she really had green fingers and in some years they made 200 hanging baskets.” Ann, whowas widowed 13 years ago,


leaves her children and grandchildren Amber, Spencer, Joseph, James, Kurtis and Daniel.


Robert Hilton ROBERT Hilton (77) lived in Harrietsham


Serving the local community since 1985


The Doves Funerals team are proud to have served Kent for over 25 years. Our customer promise “Here for You” recognises your needs through our values: Trustworthy: delivering on our promises Respectful: in our treatment of you


Responsive: to your needs Accessible: to the local community Progressive: in our attitude to change For expert advice please contact a member of our team. We are here for you 24 hours a day, for whenever you need us.


Maidstone: 01622 688662 Larkfield: 01732 871188 Staplehurst: 01580 892125 Ashford: 01233 643000 Sittingbourne - Tel: 01795 431300


www.dovesfunerals.co.uk 30 Maidstone South October 2014


from 1971, moving locally when he took the post of youth officer for KCC. Born and raised in Norfolk, Robert trained


for a career in youthwork and devoted most of hisworking life to the area,working in Derbyshire before coming to Kent. He also took an active and varied


involvement in the life of his local area. Neighbour and friend, Helen Hubble, said: “Robertwas involved with the church throughout his adult life andworshipped at St John the Baptist Church, Harrietsham for over 30 years, where he also served as a lay reader.Hewas always involved and interested in people locally, hewas choirmaster at the church and played cricket for Harrietsham. He had played other sports – including hockey and rugby – when he was younger. “He loved village life and also served the


wider local community for years as a magistrate and on the board of visitors at East Suon Park Prison.” Robert leaves five surviving siblings: two brothers and three sisters.


The Stone Shop


Memorials. Any natural stone supplied, lettered and installed anywhere.


Inscriptions added to existing memorials


Renovations and memorial cleaning


The Stone Shop Station Hill, East Farleigh, Kent.


01622 726633


Obituaries


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56