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Tom Aikens in administration as chef fails to pay suppliers
Benedict Moore-Bridger20 Oct 2008
TWO restaurants belonging to Michelin-starred chef Tom Aikens have been put into administration.
Tom Aikens and Tom's Kitchen the 38-year-old's restaurants in Chelsea have been taken over by a private investor after suppliers were left out of pocket.
A spokesman said: "It is normal trading at both restaurants."
But Welsh farmer Daphne Tilley, whose company Elwy Valley Welsh Lamb also supplies Rick Stein and Jamie Oliver, claims she is owed more than £9,000 by Aikens for lamb and beef and that a cheque for £4,990 from Aikens had bounced this month. She said: "For a small company like us that is a lot of money. I think these people are behaving despicably."
Aikens has already been forced to close his fish and chip shop, Tom's Place, because neighbours complained of the smell and his ready meals have been dropped by Selfridges.
Last week he said of his flagship restaurant: "We are down 15 per cent for lunch and 10 per cent for dinner. There is also very little demand for private dining."
Reader views (1)
Dear Sir or Madam,
I have been in the catering business for nearly 25 years and have seen time after time how some colleagues have fallen into problems but continued to trade. Often these very same people then fold their business and just continue to trade under a different name. That's just fine for them. But the real cost is often some small business which is forced to close because it can't afford not to be paid for the goods it has sold in good faith. These small business are often family owned and having been in business for years have to close down. Seeing Mr Aikens sipping champagne at a party makes my blood boil because he should have the moral fiber to put his hand in his pocket pay his debts and only then think about starting up again. Quite frankly the law should not allow him to get out of his obligations by just allowing him to put his company into administration and start up another.
- Nicholas, London, UK., 20/10/2008 21:57
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