Salon boss disappears owing staff wages

Sarah Taylor, who ran Tranquility at Quakers Mill, stripped the premises and the adjoining house on Wednesday and Thursday last week, leaving four staff members without jobs and four weeks salaries.

This week the Observer learned Mrs Taylor also owed beck rent of almost 3,500 and a grant of 12,000 to Old Town Preservation Society.

It is understood Sarah s father-in-law told an angry staff member - as the premises were stripped of equipment which was loaded with household contents into a van - that Mrs Taylor had gone bankrupt and was devastated.

Shock news that the business had failed also left customers who had bought or received gift vouchers during a Christmas promotion out of pocket.

As Mrs Taylor s whereabouts remained a mystery, the Official Receivers Office in Brighton said no application for voluntary liquidation had been made on behalf of the salon.

Customers and people owed money were advised by police to contact Trading Standards.

Inspector Max Mosley said: "We have been called on several occasions, and advise that these are civil matters. It is unfortunate that people do apparently go into bankruptcy and it is a question for the receiver to deal with, as is the case with all bankruptcies."

Hayley Heard, 20, from Hastings Road, is owed 800 in wages. Her mother Lindsay said she went over last Wednesday evening to find the place empty. The following day she returned to find locks had been changed and the letter box nailed down. Everything had gone and the cupboards were open and empty.

She said: "Hayley wanted to get her personal papers and her wages. She spoke to Sarah s father-in-law who said she was ill in bed, a 'broken woman and 'devastated . Eventually she was allowed in to collect her certificates."

Hayley who had worked for Sarah for two years, said: "It is just a nightmare. We had no idea. Sarah made no effort to explain anything to us. She has left us and all the clients in the lurch without any explanation."

Customer Patsy Scantlebury said she had enjoyed going there and had always received good service. She had been given 60 worth of vouchers for Christmas and had been looking forward to spending them.

Another customer Nicky Hunt is also contacting Trading Standards about her 70 worth of vouchers.

Sarah s husband Jamie works for his father Brian Taylor, a Polegate builder. Both were unavailable for comment this week.

Sarah s mother-in-law told the Observer: "This has nothing to do with me. I don t know where Sarah is. My family are suffering through this. If I hear from her I will ask her to ring you if she wants to."

Kim Abbot, who is joint owner of Quakers Mill and the adjoining property at 2 The High Street, said Sarah owed rent of more than 3,000. She is taking legal advice.

Sarah took over the lease of the salon premises and house next door on October 26 last year

Said Kim: "She spent a lot of money on the place. It was potentially a very good business. It came as a shock to hear she was having problems.

"I don t know where I can reach her. People are coming to the shop claiming she owes them money.

"I have written off my money but at least I have my premises back. It is the girls in the salon I feel sorry for. They worked so hard, especially over Christmas."

Kim has put up a notice on the premises for customers anxious to know what has happened.

"I cannot understand how people can just up and go like that with three children. Most of us face our problems," she added.

o What happens to 12,000