“I’m saddened and there will be people who understand both sides and there will be those who feel damaged and hurt by it and feel unable to move on and I’m sorry there is not a lot that I can do to change history.

“Ultimately the business went into administration in the depths of the recession for a whole myriad of reasons which will become clear in the coming years but this is not the first business that failed in the recession and I’m sure it won’t be the last.Įach partner - local trade contractors that between them cover the whole of mainland Britain - buys a stake in the national brand in exchange for minority shareholdings in the lead company (see box).

So far seven firms have signed up with Mr Snook, with a further two “in legal”. They vary in size with the largest turning over around £6m, each focusing on repairs, maintenance and improvement for private residents.ĭespite the high-profile collapse of the company he led for more than 10 years, Mr Snook said he has not struggled to sign up new partners.

“With some of them it was simple and with some it wasn’t. There have only been two outright rejections and there have been some I have approached that I then decided the service they were offering was not good enough.

Old Snook instal