Car dealership tycoon ousted from his Kent company in ‘coup’, high court hears
A multimillionaire used-car salesman was ousted from his £300m company as part of an orchestrated “coup” involving business rivals and private equity investors, the high court has heard.Peter Waddell, 59, claims he was forced out as the chief executive of the Kent-based dealership Big Motoring World by “conspirators” who designed a “plan” to ensure that an investigation into allegations of gross misconduct “reached the conclusion that one or more [sackable events] had occurred”.Waddell, who remains the majority shareholder in the business, is alleged to have made a series of racist and sexist remarks, including referring to a Hindu colleague as “Hyundai”, the court was told.The tycoon, whose backstory involves a childhood spent in care and then a spell of homelessness before finding success in business, either denies making the remarks or says they were taken out of context.He had created a company with 525 employees, revenues of £371m and profits of £6.
6m, according to the 2021 annual accounts – a track record that prompted the private equity group Freshstream to acquire about a third of the business in April 2022, with the option of eventually buying out Waddell’s remaining shares.Waddell, who is deaf and has dyslexia, claims that a downturn in the company’s trading prompted his investors and colleagues to devise a plan to wrest control from him, which culminated in a conduct investigation during which he was never interviewed.Alan Gourgey KC, representing Waddell, said: “These proceedings arise out of the actions of the investor in March and April 2024 in conjunction with the Big [Motoring World] companies in ousting Mr Waddell from his possession of the Big Group and taking control of the Big Group themselves instead of Mr Waddell.“The steps taken were invalid and Mr Waddell was wrongfully excluded and removed.”At the start of 2024, Freshstream and the Big Motoring World management opened an investigation into accusations concerning how Waddell had spoken to staff, customers and business partners.
George Spalton KC, representing the Freshstream partner Reza Fardad, countered that Waddell was advancing a narrative that there was an 18-month plot to oust him.“This not only ignores Mr Waddell’s egregious misconduct but also ignores the vast majority of the material which illustrates they were all trying to do their best by this business acting properly, professionally and in good faith,” Spalton said.He said there were allegations against Waddell “of the most serious kind”, including sexism and bullying.The Hindu colleague said to have been the target of an alleged racist remark is one of a number of sources whose allegations were cited in the company investigation who will appear as a witness for Waddell, written submissions add.James Laddie KC, for the Big companies, said: “Whether by use of carrot or by use of stick, Mr Waddell has successfully dissuaded some people from giving evidence and has turned some people.
”He added: “Given the volume of complaints against him, it is inconceivable that [witnesses] have entered into a plan.”The trial continues.
Koba, London W1: ‘I admire their chutzpah’ – restaurant review
Sometimes, my memories of a restaurant begin at the end, and at Koba in Fitzrovia, central London, the enduring image is the warm, fresh, sugary, bean paste doughnut served with a pot of buckwheat tea. It was an utter delight, but then, Korean sweet bean paste, which is made with adzuki beans, is so very satisfying: pleasantly claggy, almost nutty, and a little decadent, while at the same time still convincing you that it might count as one of your five a day, were it not stuffed inside a hot fresh doughnut with a whopping great dollop of whipped cream. It was a cold winter’s day – the sort where, by lunchtime, my own umbrella had blown inside-out twice and everyone else’s seemed determined to poke my eye out. Against that backdrop, this doughnut was a moment of pure bliss.Koba, a Korean restaurant by Linda Lee, has been providing moments of such joy for 20 solid years, not least with its traditional tabletop barbecue hot plates on which guests could grill their own dinner
Original Bramley apple tree ‘at risk’ after site where it grows put up for sale
The future of the original Bramley apple tree, which is responsible for one of the world’s most popular cooking apples, is at risk now that the site where it grows has been put up for sale, campaigners have warned.The tree is situated in the back garden of a row of cottages in Southwell, Nottinghamshire, which has been owned by Nottingham Trent University since 2018 and has been used as student accommodation.The university said the site was for sale due to the “age and configuration” of the cottages, which made them no longer suitable for accommodation.The great granddaughter of the man who first introduced the Bramley apple commercially said she was “very concerned” for the future of the tree and it needed to be protected.“It’s a very famous tree
Potstickers and sea bass with ginger and spring onions: Amy Poon’s recipes for lunar new year
Christmas is lovely, but my kids think Chinese new year is by far the best holiday. I might be biased, but, unusually, I am inclined to agree with them. As my eldest puts it, “New clothes, cash, booze and food – what’s not to love?” There’s the added bonus that cash is absolutely more than acceptable – in fact, it’s de rigueur, so there’s no shopping for mundane socks and smelly candles. Chinese new year is full of rituals and, just as at Christmas, every family has its own, but they are all variations on a theme. Symbolism looms large in Chinese culture, and at new year it centres around messages of prosperity, luck and family
How to plan Ramadan meals: minimal work, maximum readiness
Ramadan arrives this year in February, in the heart of winter. Short days, cold evenings and the pressure of everyday work mean that preparation is no longer about producing abundance, but about reducing effort while maintaining care. For many households balancing jobs, children and long commutes, the question is not what to cook, but how to make the month manageable.The most effective approach to Ramadan cooking is not variety but repetition. A small set of meals that are easy to digest, quick to prepare and gentle on the body can carry a household through 30 days of fasting with far less stress than daily reinvention
Benjamina Ebuehi’s recipe for almond frangipane crepes | The sweet spot
When it comes to pancake day, I don’t discriminate and fill the day with as many types of pancakes as possible – from a fluffy American-style stack in the morning to a savoury buckwheat pancake at lunch, and finishing off with classic crepes in the evening. This version was heavily inspired by an almond croissant, so although it does lean more towards dessert, I won’t judge if this is what you choose to start your day with. Bake them until the edges go crisp but the middle stays a little gooey.Prep 5 min Rest 20+ min Cook 50 min Makes 7-8 crepes120g plain flour ½ tbsp caster sugar A pinch of salt 2 large eggs 240ml whole milk 25g melted butter, plus extra for greasing Icing sugar, for dusting Lightly whipped cream, to serve (optional)For the frangipane90g salted butter, softened90g caster sugar ¼-½ tsp almond extract1 large egg 110g ground almonds 50g flaked almondsPut the flour, sugar and salt in a bowl and whisk briefly to combine. Add the eggs, whisk to a thick paste, then pour in the milk in three batches, whisking each time to avoid any lumps
Heard it on the grapevine: Polish wine’s quiet renaissance
Swap the staid stereotypes of Żubrówka vodka and Żywiec lager for vineyards and vintages, because Poland is in the throes of a viticultural renaissance, the likes of which hasn’t been seen for centuries. On a road trip tracing Poland’s best terroirs back in the summer of 2023, I met winemakers going against the grain, unshackled by tradition and producing unpretentious, expressive pours that more than merit a place on your dining table.Lately, Polish wines have been cropping up all over bar and restaurant lists: Niemczańska’s chardonnay at London’s most emblematic Polish restaurant, the borscht-fronted Daquise in South Kensington, say, while chic bar Spry in Edinburgh has started stocking my favourite producers, Dom Bliskowice, Kamil Barczentewicz and Nizio. But you won’t find bottles nestling between the neat rows of kabanos sausages of your local Polski sklep, nor lining the supermarket shelves. Or not just yet, anyway
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