McCOO ART BOMBSHELL: STAFF TOLD IT’S ALL OVER
Fury as painting team ditched
The McCoo art phenomenon is in turmoil after staff were told : “Pack your stuff and go.” Thousands of homes across Scotland have a multi- coloured Highland cow hanging on their walls.
But it appears to be all over for artist Steven Brown, the creator of the fun beastie which then spawned a whole range of lifestyle goods. Stunned workers were told on Monday they no longer had jobs. They were so shattered they headed to the pub to console each other.
The main showroom in Ayr’s Newmarket Street remains closed after an astonishing day of comings and goings on Monday.
Steven, 47, failed to return calls to explain what is going on.
More than 30 staff were employed at the peak of Steven Brown Art.
Some had been with him since the start nearly three years ago.
The artist was not in the shop on Monday – instead his wife Caroline was despatched to give the devastating news.
A source said: “Basically she said they had had enough.
“There was another guy in the showroom and Caroline said he was now the boss.
“Somebody asked if they still had jobs . . . and she said no.”
The till has been taken away as well as the computers in the office upstairs.
Steven and his wife Caroline, 50, are both directors of the company, which is still classed as “active” on the Companies House register.
But the company website is down, allegedly for maintenance, and claims: “Back in two shakes of a McCoo’s tail.”
A scribbled notice appeared
on the door of the immaculate showroom later on Monday saying: “Closed for refurbishment join us for our new- look store soon.”
In April operations were scaled back when another shop in Newmarket Street and one in Glasgow’s Silverburn shopping mall shut.
Brown tried to pass it off as “expansion” as they tuned the brand.
Five months earlier his business partner Craig Bryson died suddenly aged 47.
It is understood Craig’s family still have a big shareholding interest in the company.
Craig’s wife Linda was understood to have been at the shop on Monday and was “not at all happy”.
Another source said: “I think what has happened is disgraceful.
“People have lost their jobs and Steven – who is a great guy – is nowhere to be seen.
“He needs to come clean about what has been going on. Everything seemed fine on Saturday.
“But it doesn’t even look as if staff will be paid for the final week they worked.
“Linda Bryson was going bananas when she discovered what had happened.”
He needs to come clean about what has been going on