Dave Ames, Chairman of Harlequin

Harlequin Management Services (South East) Ltd is one of those controversial foreign companies operating in Barbados and other islands in the Caribbean. Given our thirst for foreign direct investment (FDI) there is sometimes an eagerness to fast track the due diligence and oversight process.

It is no secret that Harlequin is embroiled with certain matters across the globe which has done nothing to enhance its reputation for doing business. A recent negative alert ssued by respected D&B should give notice to the government of Barbados and prospective customers – Caveat Emptor!

BU makes the following information available given public interest in this matter.

Harlequin’s Registered Office:

11 HONYWOOD BUSINESS PARK,

HONYWOOD ROAD

BASILDON

SS14 3HW

Company registered 25 April 2001

Private company with share capital

Last filing of accounts to period to 31 March 2010 done on 22 June 2011 – no subsequent filings of accounts.

SIC Classification Code 7031 – Real Estate Agents

AS AT 31 MARCH 2010

Cash at Bank : £3,037,803

Net Worth : £692,478

Total Current Liabilities : £8,577,461

Total Current Assets : £9,032,082

CURRENT DIRECTORS

Mr Daniel John Ames

Mrs Carol Ann Ames

SHAREHOLDERS

Mr David Edward Ames (husband of Carol Ames) 10%; Carol Ames 60%; Daniel Ames (son) 10%; Matthew Ames(son) 10%; Nicola Kelleher (daughter) 10%.


  1. My comments might not necessarily relate to the company of which you speak but based on intimate knowledge of having dealt with overseas investors before recognize that they think little of us and see us as places where they can go with hair brained schemes and inveigle the mendicant authorities to buy into them with expectations of providing employment. some of them have little or no assets to support the schemes they proposed but rely on handouts from the unsuspecting and numbskulled people we have in charge of our affairs.


  2. @Balance. Agreed. There are many like that. But in these days of the Internet, we do need to just Google them and usually there is some sort of Internet equivalent to a paper trail. On Harlequin, it is a massive paper trail. I just had a look. Nothing proven, but a lot of question marks.


  3. The balance would justify the fulcrum of ladactic possibilities given the fact that the goal is clearer than it would have been if such possiblities were redundant,

    The possibility that before thought is manifested through action that action should show a propensity to propel along a trajectory akin to the upward movement rather than a spiral significant enough to affect any such movement.

    That my friends is the crucible that holds the thing in focus. Check it and see


  4. Thanks Amused, the FT article reports that Matthew Ames was arrested in September 2011. Is he still on remand?


  5. Is David Ames acting as a shadow Director while being bankrupt and therefore breaking the law?

    http://www.accountingweb.co.uk/anyanswers/question/can-you-be-shareholder-when-bankrupt


  6. balance! thats why a lot of them go bust because they build their foundations on greed and vulnerabilty of the weakest ,


  7. The Governor of the Central Bank needs to give an explanation for his expectation that Merricks is a project that will deliver. Maybe he knows something that the rest of us don’t know.

  8. The entity who used to be known as Chris Halsall Avatar
    The entity who used to be known as Chris Halsall

    @BU.David: “Maybe he knows something that the rest of us don’t know.

    But then, of course, the question is…

    Why don’t we know….

  9. The Interloper Avatar
    The Interloper

    balance | May 2, 2012 at 1:01 PM |
    Perfectly said, but always remember – just as the Black people that worked in the fields had descendants, so did the Black people that worked in the plantation houses.

  10. St George's Dragon Avatar
    St George’s Dragon

    @ D’angelo
    Change your supplier. They are obviously adding something to your drugs.


  11. The following website gives a running commentary on Harlequin:

    http://harlecon.net/


  12. @D’angelo and St George’s Dragon

    LOL. I thought that Don Blackman had just appeared again as a blogger!

  13. investinshite Avatar
    investinshite

    I love this!
    Guys you will get burnt time and time again,if you continue to let British conmen operate in your country, this company is run and owned by a man who continually tricks people by way of making them feel confident by attatching high profile celebrity names to the business, when they are actually so far removed from any legal association with the company, ie Gary Player, Pat Cash, Andy Townsend, Liverpool Football Club.
    It is a shame that these celebrity names obviously are oblivious of the requirement to check who they are dealing with, before they take there appearance fees and so on, or perhaps thats the problem, its pure greed etc shame on you Mr Player, Mr Cash, Mr Townsend, LFC.
    This company has continually over stated potential returns, overstated property values,overstated project completion dates and have continually worked alongside previuosly FSA regulated and current regulated financial advisors, these scum bags have been advising the average person to move their pensions into this absolute rip off, take a look at Mr Ames history, his website states the Dave Ames has years of running successful businesses, non sense, he has years of failed business , leaving multiple debts in his wake- check UK companies house and the London Gazette!
    By the way, his initial story to his numpty sales agents, was that he sold his business to a UK textiles company for £200m, oh dear, more bulls**t, no record of this whatsoever.

    The people involved in this are scum bags and liars, desperate ex financial advisors and mortgage brokers, ho would sell this crap to their grandmother.

    Watch it!

    It will burn!


  14. Can any one say who would have done the due diligence and or recommended Harlequin to Barbados?


  15. @David. I cannot find any further information on Matt Ames’ legal problems. Also, I am not familiar wth UK corporate law regarding the directorship of David Ames, but will ask a question. As for whose responsibility it was to do due diligence on behalf of the government, I would have thought (but am not sure) that this would be under the portfolio of the Ministry of Finance.


  16. @Amused

    Thanks!


  17. Of interest:

    Buccament Bay Resort fire was ‘minor’ – company lawyerPosted by Kenton X. Chance ⋅ May 11, 2012 ⋅ Leave a Comment
    Simon Terry, Harlequin Property’s U.K.-based solicitor, says the blaze at Buccament Bay Resort in St. Vincent was “minor”.
    KINGSTOWN, St. Vincent – There is “no evidence to suggest foul play” in the fire at the Buccament Bay resort last weekend, a lawyer for the company has told I-Witness News.
    Simon Terry, Harlequin Property’s U.K.-based solicitor, said in an email statement that the blaze was a minor one in an unoccupied section of the resort and did not disrupt operations there. (Read full statement below)
    He said the cause of the fire was being investigated.
    I-Witness News on Wednesday published a photograph submitted by a reader that shows resort employees using buckets and garden hoses to fight the fire.
    “… it has to be remembered that this picture was taken very shortly after the alarm was raised and shows some quick thinking staff members using their initiative prior to the arrival of more sophisticated equipment,” Terry said.
    However, the photographer did not give an indication of how soon after the blaze started that the photograph was taken.
    “As it happens, the fire was so minor that it was brought under control very quickly without the need for bespoke fire fighting equipment,” he further said, adding that Harlequin “would like to publically praise the quick thinking members of staff who dealt with this minor incident quickly and decisively”.
    Terry, however, did not respond on the record to questions about the resort’s emergency evacuation protocols and calls to radio programmes that some workers at the resort were not receiving their wages and salaries on time.
    I-Witness News questions to Harlequin Property regarding the fire at Buccament Bay Resort:What was the cause of the fire?What was the extent of the damage?How, if in any way, were operations at the resort affected?A photo suggests that buckets of water and garden hoses were used to fight the fire. Is this so? Further, what fire-fighting mechanisms are installed at the resort? Can you please briefly outline the resort’s evacuation protocols in the event of fire or other similar developments?Callers to several radio programmes in St. Vincent say that some workers at the resort have not been receiving their wages and salaries on time. Is this so. If yes, why?
    Full statement by Simon Terry, company solicitor for Harlequin Property on the fire at Buccament Bay Resort in St. Vincent last weekend:
    There was a minor fire in one of the villas at Buccament Bay last weekend. The villa itself is one which is currently being used for storage, away from the occupied properties and there was no significant damage either to the villa or its contents. The cause of the fire is being investigated but there is no evidence to suggest foul play. The photograph already published shows buckets of water and hoses being used to fight the fire but it has to be remembered that this picture was taken very shortly after the alarm was raised and shows some quick thinking staff members using their initiative prior to the arrival of more sophisticated equipment. As it happens, the fire was so minor that it was brought under control very quickly without the need for bespoke fire fighting equipment. The fire presented no risk to the hotel or its guests and caused no disruption to the operation whatsoever. Harlequin would like to publically praise the quick thinking members of staff who dealt with this minor incident quickly and decisively.


  18. […] placed Harlequin on watch – Harlequin WATCH – in an earlier blog in May 2012 and if we are to believe this recent report this is a company […]


  19. Like myself, most investors are very happy, why do some people have to get involved with all this negativity. The wheel are turning and grinding onward, it not perfect but its WORKING.


  20. Paul. I have two close friends that have invested their life savings of over £300,000 with this company both trusted their financial advisors and didn’t do their own due diligence. They now have and are devastated at what they have found. They are attempting to sue and recover some of it before the harlequin scam is exposed and collapses. They are praying they can get some of it back before that happens. They are in a bad position because this is an unregulated investment and their advisors are not registered financial advisors so no comeback!
    If your advisor is registered you MAY be able to hold liable them via the FSA . If not, sorry to give you the bad news, you have already lost your money in what is going to be exposed as one of the biggest (over £1 billion) UK frauds ever. Do your own research and all the best.


  21. Hi All,

    My name’s Liz and CPC Worldwide Ltd is the company, we help throughout the UK and Europe.

    There are two active group against this company, one based in London and one in the North East of England.

    If anyone wants to ring us you’re more than welcome to just have a chat because I can imagine a lot of people are really upset. 01913862487.

    http://www.propertproblemsabroad.co.uk

    I truly hope we can help some of you.
    Liz


  22. […] following comment was posted to BU on Mar 21, 2013. Many hapless Harlequin investors – some who have invested […]


  23. If you have invested in Harlequin property and have used an independent financial agent, we can start a new case where we can make an independent insurance claim to get back the money you have lost.

    Contact us at CPC Worldwide now for information:

    Tel :0191 386 2487

    Email: cpcholding@europe.com


  24. Matthew Ames was charged with two counts of fraud and I believe is due in court in September 2013.


  25. Thanks for the update Opal.


  26. 28 August 2013

    The Serious Fraud Office, together with Essex Police, continues to investigate the Harlequin group of companies. We are not able to comment on the on-going investigation nor are we able to comment on an individual’s particular investment. Individuals who are concerned about their investment should seek independent legal advice.

    Investors considering further investment in the Harlequin group of companies should be aware of information provided by the Financial Conduct Authority at

    http://www.fca.org.uk/news/investments-made-through-harlequin-group

    The SFO would like to thank all those investors who have completed our online questionnaire. We are unable to respond to each one due to the volume of responses received but we can assure all those people that responded that your questionnaire has been read by the case team.

    Anyone who believes that they have information which may be useful to this investigation can contact the case team at this e-mail address. Please do not leave anonymous information – any information received will be treated in strict confidence. Please include the case reference (“HLM 01”) in the subject header of your e-mail to ensure it comes to our attention promptly.

    Further investigation updates will be posted on this site periodically.


  27. Incredible! This blog looks exactly like my old one!
    It’s on a entirely different subject but it has pretty much the same layout and design.

    Excellent choice of colors!

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