NEWS: Myers pulls plug on troubled Spots

Spots Films, the beleaguered Soho production company, has been shut down

by its founding director, Barry Myers.

The closure marks a turning point in the legal wranglings between Myers

and his former partner and producer, Tim White, which have lasted for

two years and were due to come to a head at a tribunal on 30 July.

White, who jointly founded Spots with Myers 25 years ago, left the

company abruptly in August 1994.

Despite launching a new career in feature films at Freedom Pictures, he

retained his 40 per cent shareholding.

Cecilia Garnett, the chief executive of the Advertising Film and

Videotape Producers Association, commented: ‘This is a great tragedy.

For two or three years, Spots was one of the top companies in London.’

Myers issued a statement through his solicitor, Hammond Suddards: ‘After

25 years as head of the company, it is extremely sad for me to announce

that Spots is to cease trading. Due to problems in management a

restructuring was implemented. Overheads were reduced and the new

management set about turning the company into a leaner, fitter

operation.

‘I personally supported the company to the tune of something like pounds

250,000 in recent months on the basis that I felt confident we could

progress, as there were a number of orders in the pipeline. Despite

these efforts, Spots lost some of its best directors at this critical

time, and although Spots continues to attract new enquiries they have

not been converted into confirmed orders.’

A creditors meeting is expected to be held within the next week.

White said: ‘It’s a great shame to learn today of the demise of Spots.

It was a company that once had the highest of reputations, respect and

success. I’m surprised to see the report that Barry has put pounds

250,000 into the company in recent months.’

In the past six months, Spots has been dogged by the defection of many

of its top directors and producers. Its managing director, Robert

Campbell, quit in February.

The director, Theo Delaney, then moved to Tomboy Films, while the

producers Tommy Turtle, Adam Lyne and Dominic Delaney set up the

production company @radical media, which also attracted the directors,

Big TV and Tarsem, from Spots.

This article was first published on Campaign