Businessman who took over Oliver Adams bakeries owes suppliers nearly £10,000 in unpaid bills

The man who bought up Northampon's empty Oliver Adams bakeries in 2017 owes a supplier some 10,000 in unpaid bills.

Martyn Boden, director of Bakery Organic Ltd, did not attend county court today (July 30) to defend himself against LTA Food Services Ltd's claim he had not paid them for supplying his pastry shops.

Bakery Organic is known in Northampton as the company that snapped up the empty Oliver Adams bakery shops just days after the firm folded in 2017.

But since then, many of the Oliver Adams shops have closed overnight before either opening up under new management or staying shut for good.

The hearing - which Mr Boden did not attend - at Northampton County Council ruled in favour of the suppliers.

Today, Mr Boden was summoned to Northampton County Court to defend a claim that he did not owe LTA Food Services Ltd any cash for supplying his bakery shops for a period in 2018.

However, Mr Boden did not attend the hearing.

LTA Ltd's director Mr John Monroe presented District Judge Caron Bridson witness statements as evidence Bakery Organic had ordered baked goods from them in this time.

Judge Bridson said: "I cannot be satisfied there is a reasonable defence to this claim.

"It seems to me [the evidence] demonstrates an admission of that debt."

The court also heard the sum of the debt - £9,999.93 - was "likely calculated" to keep the case within small claims court and suggests LTA Ltd will seek a second claim against Bakery Organic in the future.

The Oliver Adams bakery dynasty shut down overnight in March 2017. Some 100 members of staff lost their jobs in the closure.

The Chronicle and Echo has never been able to contact anyone from Bakery Organic Limited despite numerous calls.