Courtesy: www.insidermedia.com

ATFusal Birmingham Pays Penalty for Rates Own Goal

by Storm Rannard

Almost 30 jobs have been saved at Atfutsal Birmingham, a leisure company which operates the five-a-side futsal pitches on Great King Street North, after it was bought out of administration.

The business called in insolvency firm FRP Advisory earlier this month after a high court ruling in favour of the city council, which had issued a claim for £800,000 in business rates arrears.

Futsal was developed in Brazil as a football variant played with a smaller and heavier ball.

Atfutsal Birmingham Ltd entered administration on 17 April 2015, with FRP partners Philip Armstrong and Philip Watkins appointed to handle the case.

A statement from FRP said that trading had been "robust" at the Birmingham site and operations were "soundly managed".

The company had continued to trade following the "significant" claim from Birmingham City Council as it believed it was exempt from paying business rates given its status as a registered charity.

But on 1 April, the High Court ruled in favour of the council, leading to "unsustainable pressure" on the company's cash flow.

The business and assets of Atfutsal Birmingham were sold to newly formed company Atfutsal Hockley Ltd saving 28 jobs. The Hockley business will also be part of the Atfutsal Group.

Atfutsal Group has a number of venues across the UK including sites in Stoke, Shrewsbury, Leeds, Cornwall, Newcastle, Oldham, Sunderland and Swindon.

The administration of the Birmingham business did not affect the wider group, which continues to trade as normal.

Philip Armstrong said: "For the local community and hundreds of adults and children who benefit from Atfutsal's tournaments across Birmingham it has thankfully remained match play as usual throughout this vital restructuring process.

"The business of Atfutsal continues to thrive and we wish the very best to all those involved under the new ownership structure."

The Atfutsal site in Birmingham comprises ten pitches. They're also used for educational programmes and other indoor sports such as netball.






FP Staff --> info@futsalplanet.com