Cabec Ltd, trading as Cream Club, has entered administration.
This notice has been published today in the Gazette.
CABEC LTD
(Company Number 07459665)
Trading Name: The Cream Club
Registered office: c/o Cream Group, Unit S3, Compass Point Business Park, St Ives, PE27 5JL
Nature of Business: Advertising and Market Research
Date of Appointment: 5 May 2015
Jamie Taylor (IP Number: 002748) and Lloyd Biscoe (IP Number: 009141), both of Begbies Traynor (Central) LLP of The Old Exchange, 234 Southchurch Road, Southend on Sea, SS1 2EG
Any person who requires further information may contact the Joint Administrator by telephone on 01702 467255. Alternatively enquiries can be made to James Hopkirk by e-mail at james.hopkirk@begbies-traynor.com or by telephone on 01702 467255.
Dated: 5 May 2015 Signed: Jamie Taylor, Joint Administrator
Comments (33)
It would be interesting to know if anyone has successfully terminated their contract using the `in the event of administration` clause??
And another fascinating thought…. when I worked for them, they were using large remote servers for their operation. Now, if Cream folds, does this mean that all those agents’ TV sites, with all the property videttes they’ve paid for, will crash out of existence? That they’ll lose all they have paid for..??
PeeBee said: “What completely amazes me is that they managed to get so many companies to actually sign up to the farcical product in the first place.”
Continue to be amazed.
This is where you can see agents endorsing Cream Club…
http://www.cream-club.co.uk/why-join/?cat=1297
Oh, believe me, Ajax – I’ve spent more than enough time researching this shower. I think if you can be chewed you’ll find quite a few past comments from me to the effect of what I said above, going back a couple of years at least.
It is unfortunate for those Agents who are currently seen to be endorsing the business. But – it was their decision in the first place – and we all know that sometimes what we say or do comes back and bites us square on the @r$e – so one could argue they only have themselves to blame…
You certainly have, I have just had a rummage4 “Peebee plus cream club” http://bit.ly/1GkjXrI
I’m flabbergasted, to be honest.
Not that the company’s gorn t*ts up – I would suggest that was a foregone from day 1. What completely amazes me is that they managed to get so many companies to actually sign up to the farcical product in the first place.
We got into this with our eyes wide open, 2 visits to Cream Club HQ and some people worked there who I knew. I wasn’t 100% sure but are you ever? We’ve given notice as per the contract but were told we’d be held to the letter of it which means 2016 before we can stop paying for ****. Unless these latest developments will give me an earlier exit opportunity? Think I need a chat with my lawyer!
From reading the blogs, I think you will find there is a clause in your Termination section that allows you to walk away should the company go into adminstration, insolvency etc.
Regardless, just simply stop paying and don’t tarnish your company!
This is a dreadful smear on the industry – he’s done this before and is trying to again. Any agent supporting his latest reincarnation should be both ashamed and take responsibility for their actions.
I get why agents fell for Crooks rubbish and false promises I was also a victim of this! However those that still support Cream after this shambles where innocent people have lost lots of £££, people have moved their families to work there, marriages have been broken & kicked out of their homes with now bad credit history are a disgrace! I can’t wait to hear Simon Gerrards thoughts on this!!
Current endorsements are all over the Cream Club website:
“Cream has given us a really fantastic advantage over our competitors, we just stand above them with our magazine, video, and TV, we just look a better business.” – James Wyatt, Partner, Barton Wyatt.
Barton Wyatt are one of the founding members of the Cream Club. In this video, James Wyatt discusses Barton Wyatt’s long standing relationship with Cream and the positive effect that Cream has on its members.
Martyn Gerrard was member of the month, Oct 27 2014.
“We at Cream are very pleased to announce that London based Estate Agents, Martyn Gerrard, are Member of the Month.
Chosen for the successful launch process of their online TV site with us at Cream, we are really pleased with the results which have come from a significant level of cooperation and hard work from all involved.
The endorsement from Simon Gerrard, the director of the company and current President of the National Association of Estate Agents, is a significant achievement for Cream as we try to grow our membership and we are thrilled to be associated with him and his team.”
[My bold letters.]
Endorsements from other agents are all over the site.
“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”
You are obviously a good person Ajax but sadly I can’t find Ajax on linked in. If you are willing to contact me via Ros I suspect we could have and interesting chat!
There’s a short YouTube film that tells why you should join Cream Club.
It has endorsements from several leading estate agents.
It will be interesting to hear what they say now about their postive involvement.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fky8XqF_hnk#t=147
Yet another business affected by Cream/Cabec/Craig Cook
http://www.justanswer.co.uk/law/8bxun-owed-amount-money-firm-fitted-blinds.html
My company entered into an agreement with Cream (Cabec ltd) in late 2012 and it has been an horrific experience! Constantly misled, constant excuses as well as significant financial loss.
I find it astonishing that good award winning independent agents support this shambles, although I do believe there are very few supporters left!
The Cream Club still lives on through the new company. It’s amazing how creditors believed to be around £1,000,000 as just left high and dry, their credit history in tatters, evicted from their homes, marriages broken and children’s lives affected! Surely no decent person/agent can still be supporting this shambles?
Beats me how anyone ever got suckered in to a “Tv channel” that isn’t, playing “videos” that aren’t.
Close call for me. They gave me a slick and thought provoking presentation after months of trying to get their foot in the door. I looked at this seriously at the start of the year and was impressed with some smart gimmicks before deciding against it. They wanted lots of money upfront and gave no guarantees. I can now see why! To be fair they gave up pestering me after a month (probably rep got sacked or walked from what I’ve now read).
How good is it for the industry to see the name of Simon Gerrard plastered all over the Cream Club website endorsing all that they do. There are others at the top of the NAEA who have supported this company. I am sure Eye will provide them with an opportunity to explain themselves.
You beat me to it, Ajax!
James Wyatt at Barton Wyatt who is head of Surrey NAEA is another one with A LOT of explaining to do.
It is time to name names.
Hello Ajax, I am not sure if you are around but I don’t understand that post or the first one about Gerrard,
Are the two agents simply customers of a firm who isn’t one many people would , could or should recommend or is there something deeper than that?
If using a shoddy supplier was a crime I can think of several firms over the years who have got away with the most incredible wrongnesses, I can think of agents who are using a firm that once pheonixed on HMRC as the main creditor.
I am not sure you should be calling out Agents like you are unless you know something that isn’t obvious to the rest of us.
I have followed this tale especially the constantly updated blog by someone wronged by Mr Cook.
There are firms down here with TV channels, is there a massive network of wrong doing or are the agents you have mentioned victims of the most shocking bad business as much as the staff and others who have lost more than just face by being associated with Mr Cook?
Both have endorsed a firm which, with a minimum of due diligence, would have been seen to be dodgy.
Wyatt’s involvement goes back some ten years.
Gerrard is all over the Cream Club site, even pictured in his NAEA presidential regalia, lending it credence.
What they knew, I don’t know. But like you, I have followed this tale since the early days of Eye when a story had to be taken down.
So we know quite a lot. Which makes me think they also knew quite a lot … but were happy to endorse the firm.
Fair point Ajax! is the endorsement current or historic which pre-dates the previous Eye story?
See my post below
I’ve never used Cream nor dealt with Mr Cook, but on looking at the trail of wound up companies he has left in his wake and the contempt he has had for staff and creditors, its just disgraceful. Surely HMRC and the fraud office must be looking into his affairs? and if not, why not?
The reputation of our industry is tarnished by characters like this !
Some of the names who have signed up to Cream over the past few years are surprising. I know from talking to some of them that they suspected things were a bit dodgy, but in some cases wrote cheques for fairly large amounts.
Baffling really…
Have you seen how much they owe???http://companycheck.co.uk/company/07459665/CABEC-LIMITED
Surely Mr Cook can’t do another Phoenix from the flames this time?
Actually also worth reading this: as it looks like it is not allowed to restart under a similar name and with similar directors (as he has done in the past it would appear).
Judge for yourself at; http://www.actionfraud.police.uk/fraud_protection/phoenix_company_fraud
Cream Estate Agents – please don’t support a Cream phoenix
If you are a Cream Club Estate Agent, according to our sources, you will have been told that your contracts have been “assigned” to Cream Club Limited or Cream Estates Limited. This is a blatant attempt from Cook to try and phoenix his business from Cabec Limited, WHICH IS NOW IN ADMINISTRATION.
We are told that there is a clause in your contract, in the “Termination” section, which will allow you to effectively walk away from your contract obligations in the event of Administration, Liquidation, CVA etc. PLEASE EXERCISE YOUR OPTION HERE. Don’t let Cook start a fourth version of this failed business and repeat the misery he mistakenly labels his “Dream Factory”.
His other famous sayings were –
“Keep moving forward” …. to oblivion apparently
“If you can dream it, we can build it” … at your cost, and never deliver it, and
“Differentiation through innovation” … finding new ways to exploit free labour and other companies’ hard earned monies
What a joke!
Finally…. Craig Cook’s shaky and hubristic house of cards seems about to tumble about him. Incredible how long this organization has teetered on – sustained by failing to pay its bills, its workers, and to deliver its promised business to the countless estate agents whom it conned out of thousands…. who were either driven to leave and cut their losses…. or soldier on, putting up with Craig’s limitless excuses… So, the overblown coloured bubbles are finally about to burst…. Or will he once again find a floating straw to clutch…to buy a little more time..??
No surprise. Just look at the history and background here –
https://creamclubthetruth.wordpress.com
Criminal!
Craig CROOK finally bites the dust!!!! 😉
Funny, that…
I received an email from them only yesterday – stating “I would like to invite you to join our exclusive club of leading estate agents… de dah, de dum”
Is there no requirement to advise potential new business of their precarious situation…?
Does john lewis know? As they sponsor the crappy slideshows this company does for estate agents