Store First Limited and three related companies were wound up in the High Court on 30 April
Court outcome
On 30 April 2019 the court made an order to wind-up four companies in the public interest by consent between those four companies and the Secretary of State. The companies wound-up in court:
Store First Limited, company registration number 07463355Store First Blackburn Limited, company registration number 07951785Store First St Helens Limited, company registration number 09664578SFM Services Limited, company registration number 07160642
The trial started on 15 April 2019 at the Manchester District Registry of the High Court and was presided over by HHJ Hodge QC. The Official Receiver has been appointed as liquidator.
The petition to wind up Store First Midlands Ltd was dismissed, also by consent between the parties following Store First Midlands Ltd transferring a storage centre it owned in Nottingham to Store First St Helens Limited. Store First Midlands has undertaken to the Court to no longer sell or market store pods as an investment or otherwise.
Liquidation
The Official Receiver has been appointed as liquidator and has responsibility for dealing with the assets and liabilities of the four companies.
The 15 storage centres are located in Blackburn, Burnley, Rochdale, Barnsley, Liverpool, Ellesmere Port, Wakefield, Glasgow, Preston, Derby, Leeds, St Helens, Manchester, Northampton and Nottingham.
Pay Store Limited is continuing to operate the Store First storage sites as such the day to day business of the rental of storage pods to end customers continues.
The Official Receiver is seeking parties interested in the sale of the properties and assets of Store First Ltd, Store First St Helens Ltd, Store First Blackburn Ltd and SFM Services Ltd (all in liquidation). Further information is available on the websites of Charles Taylor and Cerberus.
Contact from the liquidator
The Official Receiver is and remains the sole appointed liquidator of the companies by virtue of the court order dated 30 April 2019 and pursuant to s136(2) of the Insolvency Act 1986.
It is understood that some individuals have been contacted by third parties who have wrongfully claimed that they are the liquidators of the companies. Any contact from any individual or company claiming to be the liquidator of the companies, other than from the Official Receiver, is false. They are in no way connected to the Official Receiver and have no authorisation whatsoever to act for or on behalf of the Official Receiver.
The Official Receiver accepts no responsibility for these third parties and for any individuals who enter into agreements with such third parties and any loss suffered as a consequence.
Contacting the Official Receiver
All enquiries relating to the Companies’ affairs should continue to be directed to:
The Official Receiver, Public Interest Unit, 2nd Floor, 3 Piccadilly Place, London Road, Manchester, M1 3BN. Email: PIU.North_StoreFirst@insolvency.gov.uk.