Collapsed care home investment scheme Carlauren continues to resemble Wile E Coyote after running off the edge of the canyon, somehow still moving simply by refusing to acknowledge standing on thin air.
The demise of Carlauren was prematurely reported in July after the company wrote to investors to told them it had “instructed” administrators. In reality, it had only spoken to administrators, not appointed them.
Administrators Quantuma LLP have since been appointed by investors to some Carlauren subsidiaries, but have not yet established control over the group as a whole. Carlauren is trying to block Quantuma’s appointment and have its own choice, CVR Global LLP, appointed instead. A court hearing has been set for 26th November.
Meanwhile, Carlauren’s hotel subsidiary Heritage Hotels has stopped paying staff members due to “cashflow problems”, according to a letter signed by Andrew Jamieson and dated 31st October.
Jamieson has since abandoned ship, according to The Caterer. It was Jamieson who famously spoke to staff at Carlauren’s care homes to tell them “there is no money”, an outburst he and managing director Sean Murray later blamed on male hysteria in a letter to investors. Having had to do the same job to Carlauren’s hotel staff, it appears he has finally had enough.
Back in July, Jamieson told care home staff that there would be money to pay them after the takings of the hotel business had cleared at the bank. The care home staff were later paid as promised, but the care homes were shut down at almost no notice, resulting in elderly and frail residents being given just hours to find alternative accommodation.
Having previously used money from the hotel business to pay care home staff, it appears the hotel money has now dried up as well.
According to residents of Sandown, Carlauren has even been unable to pay fees to booking.com to list its hotels, and resorted to sending its staff out onto the street with leaflets.
Owner Sean Murray declined to speak to the BBC last month, saying he could not comment before the upcoming court action.