Danczuk’s Deli Debt Débacle

As if to put their little local difficulty over an interview given to Camilla Long, that painted a less than totally flattering picture, in the shade, nominally Labour MP Simon Danczuk and wife Karen have encountered a rather serious problem, one that has just scored a County Court Judgment (CCJ) and a price tag of over £2,000 - with a potential knock-on cost of around £30,000 if the couple continue to do nothing about it.

Behold the representatives of Themselves Personally Now

The Danczuks were 50/50 shareholders in a business which traded as Danczuk’s Deli, on The Walk in Rochdale town centre, via a company called Café On The Walk Ltd. It appears that this company is still extant, and the latest annual return should be submitted by the end of this month. Karen Danczuk claimed earlier this year that she had “sold” the business, presumably to a new owner. But the shop has remained empty.

And yesterday came news of the reality of the situation: Ms Danczuk had apparently signed a five year lease with the landlord, was not in the position of selling on the business without that landlord having a new tenant vetted, and in any case, as her name was - and still is - on the lease, would remain liable for rental payments. A payment of over £2,000 for the first quarter of this year has remained unpaid.

So the landlord went to the County Court in order to recover the money. Ms Danczuk did not reply to the claim. So a CCJ was made. As the gov.uk site helpfully explains, “If you get a judgment don’t ignore it - you could be taken back to court and forced to pay”. So what does Ms Danczuk have to say about that? “I am in dispute with the landlord, I have taken initial legal advice and intend taking further legal advice. I hope to resolve this amicably in the near future”. She should have taken that advice before the CCJ arrived.

Landlord Stephen Butterfield sounds more than a little exasperated at the Dancuks’ behaviour: “She is liable for the rent - and she has three-and-a-quarter years left on this lease. She owes the money and she should pay up … It’s not as simple as just selling it to someone. She should have gone to the agents, who could have put it back up. I could release her from all this if she just works with me … New tenants have to be vetted. No-one has. She’s just ignoring it. She can’t do that”.

It gets worse: having a CCJ against your name makes getting credit seriously difficult. And, as Ms Danczuk has failed to respond to the initial claim, the meter is now running and costs are racking up. Worse for her media career, the press has got hold of the story.

Yesterday afternoon, Rochdale Online had the story. By mid-evening, the Manchester Evening News had a more detailed version. The nationals have not yet taken it up, but given the Danczuks’ propensity to self-promotion, that can only be a matter of time, especially if the dispute remains unresolved and costs continue to escalate. And the nationals may want to ask more about why Danczuk’s Deli closed so suddenly.

Those who live by the sword, perish by the sword. Ditto those who live by the media.