A COLD storage firm which supplies meat to some of Bolton’s best-known shops has gone out of business.

Police were called to Bolton Cold Stores in Moncrieff Street amid “heated” scenes on Friday when the company ceased trading and the last of its 30 staff were laid off.

Staff said they called for police assistance as debtors, including meat suppliers, turned up en masse to collect the company’s assets.

Bolton Cold Stores was founded in 1952 by Peter Gill, but was bought by entrepreneur Michael Wright for £250,000 in 2009.

He claimed to have turned the business around when he bought it, moving it into profit from a £30,000 per month loss.

The 35-year-old, who lives in Great Yarmouth, said he had increased the company’s turnover from £6 million per year to £10 million per year.

Gavin Beaumont, aged 41, who was a driver for the company, said he was very unhappy with the way Mr Wright had handled the closure.

He said: “There are so many angry people here.

I’m really annoyed and so are the rest of the lads because we’re in limbo here.

“He said he was the saviour of the company, but all he’s done is made it 10 times worse for everybody by putting us out of a job.

“People turned up to take everything and the police couldn’t do anything.

If it wasn’t nailed down they took it.”

Mr Beaumont said Mr Wright had visited the premises personally to announce the news, accompanied by a large security guard. About 15 of the staff were made redundant last week, and the remaining employees were told on Friday.

Bolton Cold Stores bought fresh and frozen meats from abattoirs and kept them in cold storage before supplying butchers and shops, including Greenhalgh’s bakery, Carrs Pasties and stalls at Bolton Market.

Bolton accountancy firm CLB Coopers is expected to be appointed as administrator today.

CLB Coopers partner Mark Getliffe said: “The company ceased trading operations because it had insufficient funds to continue.

“We’ll be looking for a purchaser to buy the assets including the building.”

He said there was a possibility that jobs may be saved if the business could be sold as a going concern.

A police spokesman confirmed that officers had been sent to the address after a call from staff at the company because it was “getting heated”.

He added that police could not intervene because it was a civil dispute and no offences were committed.

The Bolton News was unable to contact Mr Wright for comment.