CONTROVERSIAL companies Tan Kwik and Kwik Jet have been served with bankruptcy notices.

The Secretary of State has presented the High Court with petitions to wind them up in the public interest.

They were franchise companies that traded as part of the Kwik Group and operated from an office in Europa Boulevard, which was later vandalised and set on fire.

Both were featured on the BBC's Watchdog in February and the Warrington Guardian has been monitoring their dealings.

More than a month ago, Tan Kwik director Adrian Griffin told the Guardian the firm was in liquidation - but declined to say who the insolvency practitioners were.

The secretary of state's announcement means Mr Griffin appears to have misled the Guardian - his contact mobile phone number has now been disconnected so he cannot be asked about this.

Tan Kwik also had more than £25,000 damages awarded against it by Warrington County Court for breaking an agreement with a local franchisee, MBS Sunbeds.

MBS Sunbeds still has a pending court hearing to try to make Mr Griffin pay part of the £24,000 legal costs of the case because he allegedly signed off fraudulent invoices and VAT returns as being in order.

Mr Griffin, aged 31, who is building a luxury home in Wigan, was a director of Tan Kwik along with Michael Anderson, aged 31, whose address was given on company records as Stockport Road in Thelwall.

Kwik Fone was also part of Kwik Group and traded from the ground floor of the building, while Kwik Jet and Tan Kwik operated from the top floor.

Kwik Fone had deals with firms including Fone Logistics, but Fone Logistics stopped working with them.

Julian Parven, marketing manger of Fone Logistics, told the Warrington Guardian: "This was an instance where we weren't comfortable with the quality of the business."

Tan Kwik (UK) Limited was incorporated in June 2003 and commenced trading in December 2003. Kwik Jet (UK) Limited was both incorporated and commenced trading in August 2004.

The petitions will be heard in the High Court on London on July 4, 2006.

sbailey@guardiangrp.co.uk