Ex-BHS boss: I only earn £25k a month, I can’t afford a driver
Chappell plea over speeding ban
FORMER BHS owner Dominic Chappell moaned that he would struggle to afford a driver after being banned from the roads.
The businessman, on £25,000 a month, begged magistrates to let him keep his licence yesterday after his £75,000 Range Rover was clocked doing 63.9mph in a 40mph zone.
Chappell, who already had 10 penalty points, said he needed to travel to London four days a week to attend meetings related to the collapse of BHS. He claimed he was also the target of “abuse” and “strong language” when he used the train.
His solicitor Michael Levy asked him: “Would it be realistic for you to employ a chauffeur? Could you afford to?” Chappell replied: “I could, but it would be a stretch.”
Mr Levy continued: “What about a taxi?” His client responded: “A return trip to London in a taxi would be £400 or £500 a day.”
The three-times bankrupt businessman, of Winterborne Clenston, Dorset, led investors who bought BHS from Sir Philip Green for just £1 last year. It collapsed with 11,000 redundancies and a £571million pension deficit earlier this year.
Aldershot magistrates court heard Chappell, 49, was stopped by police in Andover, Hants, in April. He told police: “This will cost me £25,000. I drive an average of 35,000 miles a year and used to be a race car driver.”
Magistrates said his speed was “very excessive” and disqualified him for six months. He was also ordered to pay £815 in fines and costs.
Chappell, who admitted speeding, said after the hearing: “I respect the court’s decision. I was speeding and shouldn’t have been.”
He said he would “possibly” use public transport to get to meetings with two parliamentary committees and The Pensions Regulator.
When asked about BHS workers, he replied: “I feel very sorry for them. British Home Stores has been a very difficult turnaround for us and I do regret that situation.”