Call for full probe into closure of kitchen firm Union wants the UKTreasury to look into collapse
Demands have been made for the financial dealings of Ayr-based Digital Kitchens and Bedrooms to be investigated by the UK Treasury Department.
The beleaguered firm collapsed last week, leaving scores of customers thousands of pounds out of pocket and employees on the scrapheap.
In our exclusive story last week, we told how several customers shelled out thousands of pounds for work which wasn’t completed by the firm, based in Mosshill Industrial Estate.
But this week we can reveal that the true scale of the financial collapse - and the ramifications of it - are much wider that first thought.
More customers have come forward with similar tales of being left out of pocket for orders they placed which were not fulfilled.
And one insider, who faces losing their job, claimed 12 brand new kitchens were on the recent order book - bought and paid for for around £60,000 - but “not one of them were delivered, or built.”
The insider said: “We don’t know if we are being made redundant, we have not been told anything. It’s a shocking way to behave. They (the firm) were having bother before the Covid pandemic.”
The anger has also boiled over with a trade union, who are standing up for the axed employees – as well as out-ofpocket customers.
As many as 15 members of staff are expected to lose their jobs in the wake of the firm’s collapse.
A spokesperson for the GMB Scotland Trade Union said: “We have had concerns about the running of this operation for some time since our members contacted us.
“In this current climate it is despicable to leave customers stranded and to abandon long serving employees.
“Our members are claiming that they have lost out on wages which should have been paid by the company through the furlough scheme and also the company have walked away from their legal responsibility to make redundancy payments.
“This is a disgraceful way to treat people and we have asked Allan Dorans MP to contact the
paper..
UK Treasury and request that an investigation is carried out.
“Meanwhile, our members who have served this company for many years are left on the scrap heap.”
One customer said his elderly parents have fallen victim to the firm’s collapse.
He told The Post: “They have been left over £4k out of pocket, having paid in full in early February.
“I’ve sent lawyers letters with no reply, and spoken to suppliers who have been left out of pocket and strung along as recently as three weeks ago.”
Digital Kitchens have been approached once again for a response.
Ayr MP Allan Dorans said: “I have not received any enquiries from constituents in relation to this matter but I have received an email from Paul Arkinson of the GMB Scotland Trade Union bringing it to my attention.
“I will be looking into this further.”