Knights of Old driver feels 'shafted' as sadness turns to anger at job losses

Staff made jobless after the collapse of Kettering-based Knights of Old – part of KNP Logistics Group – have spoken of their sadness and anger.

More than 730 redundancies were announced by administrators FRP Advisory Trading Limited on Monday (September 25).

People affected by the news have said that on Friday afternoon, non-office staff were called together with colleagues telling them of the closure of the headquarters in Venture Park, close to the A14.

Administrators told another meeting of ‘manual’ staff they would not be paid on the last Friday of the month as usual and they should apply for government help.

An anonymous driver said: “We’ve been working for free for a month but no-one had the guts to tell us. We feel like we’ve been shafted.

"A lot of people’s feelings have turned from sadness to anger. I feel gutted. We’ve got to apply to the government but that could take up to six weeks.

"I know people who have got a £2,000 bill coming up. They don’t know what to do.”

The partner of another Knights of Old driver said: “He feels absolutely crap. We have spent all day doing job applications. We will manage, but I feel for all the other poor people.”

KNP Logistics Group was formed in 2016 when Knights of Old was merged with Nelson Distribution Limited and included Steve Porter Transport Limited and Merlin Supply Chain Solutions Limited.

Around 170 employees had already been transferred to Nelson Distribution Ltd after the business – and its assets – were bought by the directors prior to KNP Logistics Group entering administration.

KNP Logistics Group had employed more than 750 staff and had a 350-truck, 500-trailer fleet and 55,000sq m of distribution space across the UK.

Adverts for jobs were still being posted on the company’s social media platforms in early September for warehouse workers and drivers.

Administrators Rajnesh Mittal and Philip Armstrong of FRP Advisory Trading Limited blamed a cyber attack ‘that caused significant disruption’ in June this year for the group’s financial woes.

Staff had been aware of the cyber attack after customer records were no longer available.

One driver said: “We had been going along as normal when in June we were told there had been a cyber attack. Customers’ details were gone overnight. A month later they assured us things were getting back to normal. As far as we knew everything was fine and it was business as usual – but obviously it wasn’t. They were doing things to save money.

“I turned up on Friday and someone from the company said we could shut at the end of the day and to come back on Monday. We went to the pub. The managers were very apologetic.”

The driver says they were told they would not be paid, and added: “They had been a good employer. I’m sad there are good people who I’ll never get to work with again.”

Nuala Toner of Nualaw Employment Law Specialists has been contacted by KNP Logistics Group employees including one member of staff who has worked for the company since they were 17.

She said: “We are trying to help out employees. It’s hit people out of the blue and it’s a shock and upsetting. People can contact us for advice.”

Contact Nualaw at [email protected].

Email the administrators at [email protected].