Lapland New Forest Scam. How to get money back...

whitewing

Channel 4 news:

http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/business_money/lapland+victims+demand+money+back/2954677

Daily Echo:

http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/4130078.New_Forest_Lapland_creditors_demand_answers/


Quote: ''It was a success by mere virtue of the fact that people spent over a million pounds on it.''

An HM Revenue and Customs official told Mr Mears he was in breach of duty for his record-keeping because he paid large amounts of cash for goods and services without receiving any receipts for the payments. End Quote

whitewing

From the update bbc news report:


QUOTE A statement of accounts presented at the meeting revealed that the attraction took £1,261,056 from about 42,000 advance ticket sales. Of this £343,011 has been recouped by credit card companies. END QUOTE

This means that 73% of ticketholders potentially have not had a refund yet.

If you haven't done your chargeback yet, there is still time:

Here's Gomer's chargeback guide:

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/...html?t=1412867

Don't forget to register as a creditor too by filling in the Grant Thornton paperwork. (You will need to let them know if you subsequently receive a refund via your bank)

whitewing

daily mail report:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1146802/Blunderland-theme-park-boss-confronted-angry-customers-claims-marvellous.html

western daily press:

http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/wdp/business/Lapland-rip-customers-demand-answers-boss/article-702248-detail/article.html

sky news:

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/5/20090216/tuk-crapland-customers-direct-fury-at-bo-45dbed5.html

portsmouth.co.uk, The News

http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/newshome/Lapland-39ripoff39-customers-demand-answers.4985113.jp

Press Association

http://www.pressassociation.com/component/pafeeds/2009/02/16/lapland_victims_demand_money_back?camefrom=business-information

Salisbury Journal:

http://www.salisburyjournal.co.uk/news/salisbury/salisburynews/4130784.Angry_customers_confront_Lapland_boss/

The Argus:

http://www.theargus.co.uk/news/4130059.Lapland_boss_faces_angry_customers/

(Read the comments too; apparently his inability to read and write has been used as an excuse before)

wave105.2 fm

http://www.wave105.com/Article.asp?id=1166262&spid=25629

includes an interview with Trevor O'Sullivan, which I haven't listened to yet

EdnaCloud

whitewing wrote: »

**snip**

This has cost CD circa £30k.

http://www.oft.gov.uk/shared_oft/board/Dec08.pdf

That was from the Minutes of The Office of Fair Trading Board Meeting of 4th Dec 08, so that will be more than £30K now.

Let us hope they don't register as a creditor which they may now be entitled to do.....

EdnaCloud

whitewing wrote: »

From the update bbc news report:


QUOTE A statement of accounts presented at the meeting revealed that the attraction took £1,261,056 from about 42,000 advance ticket sales. Of this £343,011 has been recouped by credit card companies. END QUOTE**snip**

This doesn't really tell us much - it does not indicate how much is held in escrow or frozen by Streamline, and that is a **very** important point, nor does it say from where the GBP343,011 has been recouped, whether from mears (unlikely) streamline or their own insurance.

I do wish journalists would report fact and not vague ideas of fact, the truth is this statement means nothing whatsoever, so I suggest we ignore it or ask the parties that circulated it to explain what they mean. Or I will. Now, who said it? I will look back and hound the hell out of whoever made this ludicrous statement.

That being said, whitwhing is right if the 'recouped' figure is what has been refunded, but banks are never too quick to admit they've screwed up and tend to be very conservative in what they say publicly. This needs more investigation.

On a different note, these articles do not seem to show mears as a particularly trustworthy person, and if he feels HE has been treated shabbily, why hang his head in shame and cover his head with an anorak? We all know where he lives and where he cons, sorry, does honorable business from, so why the stupid act?

Can't read and write - should be allowed to be a director IMHO but he can. But how did he fill in all the forms to get the banking deal, eh? Must have had an accomplice. Simple.So who's looking for the accomplice(s)

Oh and DTS if you're watching this thread do get your finger out and DO something, how long do you need to take legal advice for? If criminal acts have been carried out then action should be taken, the longer YOU prevaricate the longer mears has to stash his cash. In fact you may already have missed the boat.If you dislike what I am saying, DTS, please PM me and I will gladly give you my personal details because you are failing in your legal duty and *I* along with many other hurt parties here pay *your* wages and I will be happy to raise this issue with your superiors.

GT, if you are out there, I feel from reported material that your company is doing it's best but about to slip into a murky puddle of of deception. lies and confidence tricks. I am sure you are up to it, but for the sake of transparency and in the interests of hurt parties the sooner you can advise (within constraint of law) on the whereabouts of the odd 1.2 million pounds and what remedies will be put in place the better.

Other threads - please pick this up and run with it. If we can continue to name and shame, in this case a particularly despicable character running a scam that may have netted him GBP0.9M, of which there is apparently only GBP20K left and we can get him in his rightful place - jail - we can win. He will lose. And how the *?#! can that amount of money move around even if the illiterate fat git &"@#%$er can't read and write? I should cocoa! Authorities - get on thos one - we've had enough of these scamming s$$t heads - take action - don't give us stupid excuses and weasel words.

I make no apology whatsoever for this rant and just hope it stirs others into action.

I do not know who is worse, the weary bankers (one of whom was quoted as saying his salary of about GBP1.0M was modest!!!!!) or the tickey pwat of Brighton. Either way they are truly scumbag millionaires.

I don't expect this post to stay for long but there. I had me rant.

keep claiming peeps, don't give upe to these b$%^&*&^%s.

Edna -very angry

whitewing - you are a star.

EdnaCloud

Sorry for not responding sooner.

whitewing wrote: »

Edna,

I googled Grant Thornton yesterday, and it seems to be a common statement of theirs at the point they get involved to state that 'no monies are available'. I haven't worked out what they expect to achieve by stating it. Whether they simply think that they are setting creditors' expectations? I must admit it comes across to me that they are trying to decrease their own workload by getting a message out that it isn't worth claiming so don't bother.

I hadn't thought of that, possibly because I thought the comment was attributed to Mr Mears, but it would seem understandable from some point of view to say that as a standard comment.

I think your analysis is pretty good, by saying that they are actually achieving both of those things. Another factor may be that, sadly, in the vast majority of cases it will be true, in fact it *has* to be in some senses: if a company has not got the funds to meet its debts it is insolvent and to carry on trading is illegal so it must seek insolvency advice usually ending in administration or liquidation. If it didn't have the monies to pay creditors then ergo, there are no monies for creditors (after the secured ones have had their bite of the rotting cherry)

I haven't looked at any other liquidators so I don't know if they all do it.

Nor do I but it would surprise me if they do.

Anyway, my advice is still to register as a creditor by filling in the simple form that Grant Thornton sent to you, and sending it back. If you didn't receive any paperwork, and Lapland New Forest owes you money, then email the Lapland.Liquidation email address a few posts back.**snip**

This is good advice from whitewing, please read what is said carefully an DO take action. Please don't let scammers get away with it for lack of effort.

The only time you shouldn't register as a creditor is if you have already had a refund from your bank, even if it has been temporarily credited, as it is very unlikely to be claimed back (and if it is, then you can escalate if necessary).

And just keep in mind that you can register as a creditor up until the final dividend is announced, although it will need some observance to know when that is but from experience I would say anywhere from a couple of months to a year or so. But don't quote me on that!

Thanks whitewing.

EdnaCloud

A quick parting note,
Mr mears said: 'he had the 'chutzpah' to do it.'

Mr mears may will wish he hadn't used that Yiddish word. He is a gentile and it ill befits him to denigrate that language, however he may well reflect upon it's meaning:-
chutzpa: (Yiddish) unbelievable gall; insolence; audacity

Just about sums the arrogant illeducated illiterate pickey up in just a few words. Stupid !!!!!!.

Gone now. Good luck all.

Edna

whitewing

I'm out of touch, I thought they taught people to read and write in prison.


(Anyway, no offence to anyone, except Victor, who will only be offended if someone reads this out to him. I sadly know plenty of people who have slipped through the system in terms of learning to read and write. I also know that a lot of them have gone back to the classroom many years later and learnt. I am of the opinion that anyone can learn to read.)

whitewing

The Sun's take on the situation today:

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article2244504.ece

If you don't share the opinion that it was brilliant, especially if you shelled out and never got the chance to experience its delights for yourself, you'll be needing to take a look at Gomer's guide:

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/...html?t=1412867

You can still register as a creditor if you do a chargeback. If you get a refund as a result of the chargeback, it would appear that your bank then becomes a creditor. (Best to just advise Grant Thornton via email if you do register as a creditor and then get a refund via your bank).

Other links:

http://www.thisishampshire.net/news/hampshirenews/4131947.Director_of_failed_Lapland_New_Forest_claims_to_be_dying/

Quote: Mr O’Sullivan said investigations into the finances of the company would take “months rather than weeks”. Quote

Dorset Echo:

http://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/news/4131692.Lapland_boss_covers_face_at_creditors__meeting/

whitewing

The Telegraph:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/4641104/Lapland-boss-tells-angry-customers-theme-park-was-marvellous-idea.html

Quote: The biggest creditors to the firm, which has now gone into liquidation, were credit card companies. They are claiming £850,000 from Mr Mears. End Quote.

The Mirror:

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2009/02/17/lapland-new-forest-rip-off-boss-christmas-park-was-a-big-success-115875-21129813/

And a photo of Mr Mears' reflecting on his fantastic idea:

http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/s/2045153_crapland_director_faces_the_music

And some more photos:

http://www.rexfeatures.com/set/851514

The Swindon Advertiser:

http://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/news/4131114.Mum_s_anger_at__Lapland__owner/