It gets worse: Boss who fired entire staff even got rid of his daughter!
THE bus company boss who sent staff a blunt farewell email left his own daughter out of work when he pulled the plug on his business, it was claimed yesterday.
Sydney Hardy, 57, posted a message on the internal section of the firm’s website telling employees: ‘I have had enough. I cannot work with you a moment longer.’
But as well as around 16 drivers who have been left worrying how they will be able to pay their bills, Mr Hardy’s message has also left his daughter Nadine,
THE BOSS WHO SNAPPED
From yesterday’s Mail
21, high and dry. Miss Hardy worked in the office at Nippy Bus in Martock, Somerset, fellow ex- employees said. She could not be reached for comment last night.
Former members of staff accused her father of deserting his duties at the struggling firm to enjoy holidays in Thailand and touring France in his motorhome. Dave English, 64, one of the sacked drivers, said the firm had struggled since nine drivers left for other jobs around four months ago.
He added: ‘I’ve had people stepping on to my bus in the last few weeks saying that they had heard rumours the firm would be closing next week.
‘I even asked Nadine about this last week and she said, “No it’s not.” It seems she’s been caught by surprise here, just like the rest of us.’
Mr English added: ‘You can’t just bury your head the way he has done and not confront the prob- lems. The memo from Sydney makes it out that it’s the drivers’ fault that this has happened, but without us he would never have had his company.
‘He was always going off to Thailand on holidays. He was never around. He let other people do his job for him. He would go off to France to watch cycling races like the Tour de France each year.
‘I went into the office yesterday to get my wage slip. They were all there, but the money has not gone in my account – we are all in the same boat.
‘Sydney could have walked away with up to £30,000. We want to know what is going to happen to that money.’
Mr English said the boss’s ‘righthand-man’ Ashley Clifton, 47, was at the depot to hand out wage slips on Tuesday and told colleagues he had no idea where Mr Hardy had gone. Mr Clifton hung up when called by the Mail last night.
Mr Hardy’s email was sent over the weekend and said the company had ‘ ceased operational activity with immediate effect’ from Sunday. He has refused to comment on his decision which is thought to have been prompted by the number of drivers defecting to rival firms.
Last night a woman in her late 40s who answered the door at Mr Hardy’s Yeovil home declined to comment.
Although it has been claimed that he has separated from his wife Sharon, 48, cars bearing private registration plates with the initials of Mr and Mrs Hardy were in the driveway.
Mrs Hardy was listed as company secretary of Nippy Bus until she resigned on August 1.
She has a £500,000 seaside property near Swansea, but there was no sign of her at the detached home yesterday. Neighbours said the Hardys’ other daughter Nicole, 25, lives in a nearby village.
Somerset County Council has been scrambling to find replacement bus services for 300 pupils at four different schools.
Raymond Lunney, 53, who was a director of Nippy Bus until his resignation in May 2013, is now listed as a director of Somerset Passenger Solutions, a Bridgwater-based firm providing transport to support the construction of Hinkley Point C nuclear power station.
A worker at the offices yesterday said Mr Lunney was on holiday.