RIP Hotel Voyeur

It's obviously not right that the girls and other members of staff have been unpaid, but it's hard to form an unbiased opinion unless you know the full details (which very few people will). Unfortunately, this is a common thing in business when things go pear shaped...

A company I was involved with, that provided 3rd party credit/debit card accounts, went bust on everyone... I was one of just a few that got paid.

(14-01-2010 20:17 )sweetsugar007 Wrote:  I think the term I used in my earlier post was "can't run a business probably" As you are obviously cleverer than the rest of us all than I will use language you understand. No appreciation for "the economies of scale" Ultimately means the same thing and the issues still remain as valid.

So are you saying they made a buck or are you saying they didn't make a buck?

(14-01-2010 20:51 )Winston Wolfe Wrote:  Unfortunately, this is a common thing in business when things go pear shaped...

Very true Winston Wolfe. Sometimes it only takes one thing that doesn't work out to send a business pear shaped. I believe that if Hotel Voyeur had stuck to one channel they would not have gone bust.

(14-01-2010 22:28 )elgar1uk Wrote:  

(14-01-2010 20:17 )sweetsugar007 Wrote:  I think the term I used in my earlier post was "can't run a business probably" As you are obviously cleverer than the rest of us all than I will use language you understand. No appreciation for "the economies of scale" Ultimately means the same thing and the issues still remain as valid.

So are you saying they made a buck or are you saying they didn't make a buck?

Elgar, maybe they did maybe they didn't but they were not on that long and they already bust so it suggest that there were elements of their business plan not fully considered. These things normally happen as a result of insufficent working capital. the business on paper works well just not enough cash flow to keep the thing alive. Thats why the regulators have to control the qualification for entry.

Just to clarify, I dont KNOW that the owners made a quick buck. I just find it very strange that they went from being able to pay, for example, Lilly £5000 for two months work, to being unable to afford to pay anything. Also strange that new owners are taking over just two months after they stopped paying the girls. Did the costs increase, & volume of calls (ie, their income) decrease, so much that they suddenly could pay the talent NOTHING? Also, one would assume that they were telling the girls, who were working for nothing despite being owed thousands, that they would be paid eventually (on whatever pretense). Well, again, one can assume that these new owners didnt come about in the last few days/weeks. And they would know that the new owners wouldnt be clearing the old owners debts (ie, the girls wagers). At BEST, its horrible mismanagement & planning. At WORST, they are conmen that have shafted the ladies, cos where has the money gone? If the old owners knew they were gonna liquidate, why were they still putting on shows? And where did the money that those shows made go to?

(15-01-2010 11:59 )DT17 Wrote:  Just to clarify, I dont KNOW that the owners made a quick buck. I just find it very strange that they went from being able to pay, for example, Lilly £5000 for two months work, to being unable to afford to pay anything. Also strange that new owners are taking over just two months after they stopped paying the girls. Did the costs increase, & volume of calls (ie, their income) decrease, so much that they suddenly could pay the talent NOTHING? Also, one would assume that they were telling the girls, who were working for nothing despite being owed thousands, that they would be paid eventually (on whatever pretense). Well, again, one can assume that these new owners didnt come about in the last few days/weeks. And they would know that the new owners wouldnt be clearing the old owners debts (ie, the girls wagers). At BEST, its horrible mismanagement & planning. At WORST, they are conmen that have shafted the ladies, cos where has the money gone? If the old owners knew they were gonna liquidate, why were they still putting on shows? And where did the money that those shows made go to?

Spot on DT17.

Given that arrangements for the transfer of company must have been going on for some weeks, the girls were conned into working, with the HV owners knowing full well that the girls wouldn't be paid.

Many of the girls stayed away in recent weeks because they were 3 months or more in arrears with their salaries, but many did turn up for work, in particular Lilly, and kept the channels going single handed.

The girls were presumably conned into working so that the HV owners could maximise their revenue before the handover.

Historically the people behind HV have always had a bad reputation, this is not a new problem. Just ask the girls who have worked for them previously. Not paying girls, or paying them very late, seems to be part of their business plan.

Limited companies are easily searchable, so once we know the name of the company behind Angels TV it will be easy to see the shareholders' and directors' names. Even if the new company is distinct from Over 18 TV, the HV owners are still profiting because the arrangement is that 914 will be leased by them to Angels TV, who will pay a fee for the use of the channel. You can bet your bottom dollar that this income will not be used to pay the HV girls' wages.

I see that 914 is still allocated to 'Over 18 TV' on the Sky epg and the company is not being dissolved as yet (not according to Companies House website) so if the company is still trading there's still a chance that the girls can get their money, perhaps through the small claims court.

(15-01-2010 11:59 )DT17 Wrote:  Just to clarify, I dont KNOW that the owners made a quick buck. I just find it very strange that they went from being able to pay, for example, Lilly £5000 for two months work, to being unable to afford to pay anything. Also strange that new owners are taking over just two months after they stopped paying the girls. Did the costs increase, & volume of calls (ie, their income) decrease, so much that they suddenly could pay the talent NOTHING? Also, one would assume that they were telling the girls, who were working for nothing despite being owed thousands, that they would be paid eventually (on whatever pretense). Well, again, one can assume that these new owners didnt come about in the last few days/weeks. And they would know that the new owners wouldnt be clearing the old owners debts (ie, the girls wagers). At BEST, its horrible mismanagement & planning. At WORST, they are conmen that have shafted the ladies, cos where has the money gone? If the old owners knew they were gonna liquidate, why were they still putting on shows? And where did the money that those shows made go to?

I don't think it's strange. It's probably very straightforward. In fact elgar is probably right that they had committed themselves to 3 channels and just didn't get enough calls to pay for 3 channels.

(15-01-2010 11:59 )DT17 Wrote:  At WORST, they are conmen that have shafted the ladies, cos where has the money gone? If the old owners knew they were gonna liquidate, why were they still putting on shows? And where did the money that those shows made go to?

But this is nothing new, is it?

Time and time again, the outside world is FULL of businesses that are well aware that they are going under, yet still continue to scam customers and take their money, right up untill the day the baliffs arrive. Even worse, the commonplace practice of "dying" companies still taking customer orders and deposits, when they know only too well that there isn't a dog's chance of fulfilling any obligations.

These things don't happen overnight, the people that own/run HV have known that their business was going down the shitter for weeks, more likely months, and no doubt have taken appropriate action, i.e lining their own pockets in a hurry, so that their experience of the liquidation is somewhat cushioned.

While of course, the girls, (the ones that EARNED the bigshots their "cushions") get zip.

The words "rats" and "sinking ship" are ones that immediately spring to mind here.

Channel 914 is now showing a logo for "AngelsTV", which probably confirms that HV has finished broadcasting.

(15-01-2010 17:56 )Mellow Wrote:  Channel 914 is now showing a logo for "AngelsTV", which probably confirms that HV has finished broadcasting.

something tells me it will be the 2 girls who were trying out for HV earlier in the week on tonight.
poor girls probably think that this is gonna be their big break but they will probably end up ripped off too