Spirit to appeal
Lowell Grant (Spirit) is planning an appeal after losing his legal case against the auctioneers who were used by Hackney to sell his business and home on Broadway Market.
In 2001 Spirit was told that he could buy his shop and home at 71 Broadway Market if he produced a 10% deposit for the asking price of £100,000. Hackney Council’s auctioneers, Nelson Bakewell, took the cheque but sold the property anyway to an offshore company*for £85,000.
In November 2008, despite a local campaign supporting him, his landlords evicted him.
Hackney Mayor, Jules Pipe, was Leader of the Council at the time of the sale and has been content to see the auctioneers blamed for Spirit’s cheque not being honoured. After evidence by Nelson Blakewell, it was revealed that after taking the cheque they phoned Hackney Council to see if they should accept it. Hackney told them not to sell the property to Spirit and proceed with the auction.
Jules Pipe has refused to compensate him for the loss of his home and business.
for a map
What a piece of work Hackney are. Good luck Spirit!
Maybe I’m missing a crucial fact – but it seems to me that if Nelson Bakewell were acting as Hackney’s agents, and NB accepted Spirit’s deposit cheque, then Hackney accepted Spirit’s offer to buy at that moment. Surely, it’s too late for Hackney to say, “wait a minute” after that exchange.
Like I said, I don’t know all the facts, and it would be interesting to read the county court judge’s ruling.