Rail Catering Company Enters Liquidation

A Hastings-based catering company which served rail passengers in the South East has ceased trading and entered liquidation.

Hastings Rail Catering Services Ltd, which traded on board train operator Southeastern’s Hastings to London Charing Cross route as ‘Grub on the Go’, ceased trading on 31 October, 2013.

Eleven employees have been made redundant as a result of the closure of the business.

Jon Beard and John Walters, partners at business recovery and insolvency specialist Begbies Traynor in Brighton, were appointed joint liquidators at a meeting of creditors held on 29 November 2013.

Mr Beard said: “After trading for 18 months, the company has been unable to generate enough revenue to support the operation going forward. After being approached by directors, we advised that the best way forward was to place the company into a creditors’ voluntary liquidation.”

Ray Chapman, a director of Hastings Rail Catering Services, said he and his colleagues were “extremely sad and disappointed” the business could not continue.

He said: “We would like to thank the teams at Southeastern in Hastings and Hastings Rail Catering Services Ltd; both have worked extremely hard towards making a success of the business.

“Revenues, when not affected by matters beyond the company’s control, demonstrated that there is a viable business to be operated and we understand discussions are under way between Southeastern and former employees of the company regarding recommencing catering services on their routes.”

Mr Chapman added: “We really do hope that this can come to fruition to deliver and continue to improve the customer experience through a partnership with Southeastern on the Hastings line supporting local jobs and the local economy. We would like to thank the customers on the route for supporting the business for the last 18 months.”