MSP demands answers on public funding for former Cairngorm ski resort operators
Scottish Greens MSP John Finnie MSP has written to the Scottish Government and Highlands and Islands Enterprise calling on them to probe why such significant amounts of public money were given to Natural Retreats.
It has emerged that some operations of the Wilmslow-based company which recently went into administration owing large sums to the public purse have been purchased by a new company with significant links to Natural Retreats.
Mr Finnie said: “Natural Retreats owed significant sums of money to public organisations.
"There are serious questions to be asked regarding the financial consequences to the public purse as a result of its administration and this new company.
"I plan on continuing to challenge the Government on this matter as there are serious lessons which must be learned.”
Matthew Spence, Ewan Kearney and Anthony Wild were all directors of Cairngorm Mountain Ltd before it went into administration in November 2018.
They resigned from no less than 20 subsidiary companies belonging to Natural Assets Investment Ltd (NAIL) in January.
These companies included John of Groats Highland Ltd and NA Lews Castle Ltd, both of which have received significant financial assistance from HIE - JOG Highland had been awarded £1.8m and Lews Castle received £1.7m.
HIE sold Cairngorm Mountain Ltd to NAIL in 2014, only to buy it back out of administration for twice the price in November 2018.
CML went into administration just after its ultimate owner, the hedge fund manager David Michael Gorton, had certified it as a going concern in the company's accounts for another year in September 2018.
A host of suppliers both national and in the strath were left owed money at the time.
