Machinery to be sold in dispute

Equipment and machinery belonging to a West Bromwich company which was locked out of its factory in a dispute over unpaid rent is set to be sold.

Millwrights Ltd has been blocked from entering its premises in Claypit Lane by its landlord, who claims boss Stephen Rolls still owes him £10,208.30 in rent. The firm, which makes and repairs machinery for factories around the Black Country, has been unable to get in to access its payroll since April 6, leaving 15 workers facing financial struggles.

Two weeks ago 57-year-old Mr Rolls told the Express & Star he could be forced to close the company and make everyone redundant, simply so they could claim unemployment benefit as he had no means of paying them.

Today Steve Jones, a spokesman for landlord Kirshan Sharma, said lawyers had been instructed to arrange an auction of Millwrights property.

He said the landlord had taken action after another company owned by Mr Rolls and run out of Claypit Lane, Welded Assemblies, had been put into administration some time before.

He said: "We have heard absolutely nothing from them regarding their business, or whether or not they are in administration.

"We spoke to our lawyers a couple of days ago and they are making arrangements for an auction of equipment still inside to settle the debt.

"We have left this in the hands of our solicitors."

The firm, which supplied machine parts for stairlifts, had been there for 10 years.

On April 6 stunned workers arrived to find a van parked between two walls. It completely blocked entry to the factory.

Mr Rolls could not be contacted for a comment. He previously told the Express & Star: "We have since made offers to pay what we owe but the landlord will not speak to us." The Government's register of businesses, Companies House, said Millwrights was still an active company and had not gone into administration.